Sensei, anata wa yasashii ne!
by ArtForm
Summary: [Modern AU: Doctor, you are so sweet!] Following his father's retirement, Sesshoumaru is forced to take over the local clinic.But due to his stern face, most of the children end up crying. But when he finds himself in a sweets shop run by Rin, will sparks fly? Or will the fact that she has a 6 year old son get in the way?
1. The doctor in the sweet shop

A/N: I know I know I shouldn't be starting something but I couldn't help it! I accidentally stumbled upon this manga titled Himegoto Asobi and boom; this story came to my mind fully formed.

Credits to Sakuragi Yaya the mangaka of Himegoto Asobi (don't read this if you're not comfortable with yaoi but for me, I am absolutely in love with that genre.) This FF will have its premise similar to the setting of the manga, but apart from that (and of course the characters of Rumiko Takahashi), everything else is purely fiction.

This will be a short modern AU (no powers in this one) so hope you enjoy it!

PS: In this story, I have given them surnames because it's weird to call someone first name-san (although I will move towards this once our characters are familiar with each other). The characters are as follows:

Rin Nakamura + Hiroki Nakamura

Sesshomaru/ Inuyasha Oshiro

[Sanzen-san =Mr 3000 is Rin's nickname for Sess]

Kagome Suzuki

Sango/Kohaku Yamamoto

Kagura Kazeko

/ / / / /

MARCH

SESSHOUMARU

The moment he stepped out of the train station at Inuyama, Sesshoumaru couldn't help the scowl on his face. The five hour journey, he could bear. What he could not however was the idiot of his half- brother grinning at him like it was perfectly _normal_ for him to be here in this sleepy town; just because their father thought it would be amusing for Sesshoumaru to work in a rundown local clinic.

His position as Head Paediatrician at the Tokyo University Hospital seemed to account for nothing when it came to the old man. Chichi-ue, also dubbed by the locals as Inutaisho-Sensei had decided to go into early retirement and leave the running of his clinic to his eldest son – the only good move on his part.

"Did Chichi-ue send his lapdog to fetch me?"

"Keh. As if. I'm here because she's here." Inuyasha jabbed his finger sideways to the dark haired woman beside him.

"Onii-san!"

Sesshoumaru still cringed at the title Kagome seemed to have conveniently adopted for him. Giving what he felt was his kindest smile, he pulled up the handle of his luggage and trudged towards the taxi stand. There was no way he'd be sharing breathing space with that brat and his wife a minute longer.

Just before he stepped into the taxi, Inuyasha stopped his door from closing. Leaning in, he didn't bother lowering his voice but growled as he spat out his mother's request.

"Oi Sesshoumaru! Okaa-san wants you to drop by for dinner tonight. Ja!"

Sesshoumaru offered his brother nothing in lieu of a response and merely pulled the taxi door shut. He didn't come here to socialize with his father's _other_ family so dinner was definitely out. If he was going to take over a no name clinic, then he might as well catch up with rest and get to said sad excuse for a workplace early tomorrow.

/ / / / /

 _That night..._

Sesshoumaru couldn't believe where he was seated at that moment. Between his stepmother Izayoi on his left and Kagome on his right, he felt like the meat between two extremely annoying, chit chattering buns.

"Sesshoumaru, would it kill you to be a bit lively for once?" His father picked out a portion of meat and placed it on top of his son's rice. "How you'd ever treat children without scaring them is beyond me."

Sesshoumaru tried not to be insulted by his father's words for he knew the old man was aware that he didn't treat children but operated on them. Interactions with his patients were mostly limited to the times when they were sedated and post-op with their mature and sensible parents. Oshiro medical centre on the other hand was mainly a consultation clinic. Surgery will be few if necessary.

"Onii-san, maybe you can try bribing them with something sweet. I do that sometimes at school when I'm really trying to get them to do what I want," offered Kagome, digging into her bag for some small packets of cheap sweets. "There's a shop not far from here that sells these."

Sesshoumaru took one look at her offering and snorted in disapproval. As if he needed stupid bribes to get his work done.

/ / /

Little did he know a few hours later that he would make all his morning miniature patients run out crying after coming to see him.

"Ah Oshiro-Sensei! We still have a few more patients. You can't just walk out -"

Sesshoumaru flicked an irritated glare at his nurse assistant, Sango Yamamoto. "Yamamoto-san, please reschedule them all to the afternoon. I do not want to cause a flood in this clinic. Already it's leaking as it is!"

Storming out, Sesshoumaru loosened his tie and tried to calm his temper. He knew it wasn't the children's fault. He had started the day in a foul mood, annoyed at his father for putting him in such a dump.

"I can't go on like this," he sighed, pressing his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose. It would be easy to grumble and give up but that would only give ammunition to his brother's incessant teasing. Not to mention proving Chichi-ue right.

" _If you don't think you have the balls to carry on the family name, then don't bother coming to Inuyama. I still have another son after all."_

"But I am the only rightful heir!" His outburst was answered with a short squeak and his eyes darted upwards to catch a young boy cowering behind a tree. "Did I frighten you?"

The boy hid completely behind the trunk, only to be found shrinking to the ground as Sesshoumaru loomed above him. "Why are you alone? Where are your parents?"

The young child lifted a trembling finger and pointed to somewhere behind him. Turning around, Sesshoumaru frowned as he stared at the brightly coloured shop front. Nakamura candy store? That reminded him of something Kagome said the previous night. Looking down at the child, Sesshoumaru tried to give his friendliest smile –a feat considering his constant frown –before kneeling in front of him.

"Let's look for your mummy ok?" He offered a hand but was not surprised when the child shook his head and dashed over to the candy store. "Well, that went well."

Convincing himself that he was merely concerned for the child's safety, Sesshoumaru walked over to the candy store; the small bell behind the door signalling his entry.

"Irasshaimase!"

Ducking in, Sesshoumaru was greeted by a young lady behind the counter; a warm sunny smile on her face. Just looking at her, he could understand why the boy ran into the store rather than accept his help.

"How can I help you?" chimed the storekeeper.

Sesshoumaru caught the boy browsing through some sweets at the corner of the store. Not wanting to sound like a stalker, he mumbled something about looking around first and inched his way closer to the child.

"I like those kind too," he whispered, pointing to the mini circular candy. "Bet you can whistle pretty good with these. I'll take one." Sesshoumaru took the sweet, much to the surprise of the child before selecting a few others and walking to the counter.

"Oh… you're, you're buying all of this sir?" The female shopkeeper blinked a few times at his purchase.

"Yes. Is there a problem?" He looked down at his collection of about thirty odd sweets, then straight at her blushing face. Did he say something wrong?

"Ah, no. It's just, I've not had anyone spend this much for some time!" Her laugh sounded truly genuine as she packed his purchase into a small paper bag. "That'll be 2180 yen sir. Hope you'll enjoy them!"

Giving her some notes, he accepted the bag and tried a smile. "Keep the change." He was about to leave when he remembered the young boy. "Um, ano, this child? Is he a regular?"

"Oh? Hiro-chan?" The smile she had given him earlier shone even brighter as she gazed at the child. "Yes he is. Did he inconvenience you in any way sir?" That smile faltered slightly.

"Oh no no! I was just worried that he was lost. But if you know him then that's alright. I'll be off then." He gave a polite nod as he headed for the door, jiggling his purchase in his hands. "Let's see if Kagome's trick is of any use."

Much to his surprise, the charm of cheap sweets outshone anything he could ever imagine when it came to pleasing a child. From the cries plaguing him in the morning, his patients accepted his little bribe, albeit cautiously, with some breaking out in wide grins almost immediately.

By the end of the week, Sesshoumaru could hardly believe how quickly he had become a familiar face in the neighbourhood. The children who came to his clinic previously shouted his name across the streets, running gleefully to say hello –and for the few little girls, shyly whispering thank you for the sweets and toys he had given to them.

Seeing the success of his investment, Sesshoumaru conceded to the fact that Kagome was right and that he should get her something in lieu of a thank you. He wouldn't say it out loud of course, lest that annoying brat Inuyasha started gloating.

/ / / /

Saturdays were designated 'no-doctor day' so Sesshoumaru had planned to spend it on his couch looking through medical journals and catching up with the academic world he had left behind. However, he knew the hiatus was not permanent. Already, he had received an invitation by the Nagoya University school of Medicine to accept a position as an honorary professor.

It would provide him the challenge that a small-time clinic couldn't give but it was still at least an hour's drive or train ride away. A tempting offer nonetheless, so he wouldn't discard the idea.

Just as he settled into his sofa with his cup of coffee, Sesshoumaru received a phonecall, the caller ID stating: _Chici-Ue_ _._ With a reluctant sigh, he picked it up.

"Moshi moshi… ah, yes I'm not working today… sakura what? No… I don't care what Chici-ue says… Kagome!" The phone call ended even before he could protest further. Just what in the world was his father thinking, asking that loudmouthed woman to invite him to a cherry blossoms viewing?

He didn't come here to socialise, didn't he make that clear before?

Turning his attention to his journals, Sesshoumaru sank deep into the publications; his mind absorbing all the latest findings and trends in his field of expertise. If he hadn't come to Inuyama, Sesshoumaru was sure that he would have moved to America or Europe and seek employment at one of their top paediatric medical centres.

He was still lamenting about this when his doorbell rang. Ignoring it at first, Sesshoumaru continued reading but after the tenth ring and incessant knocking, he jumped off his sofa and stormed towards the door.

"What the hell do you want?" he was shouting even before his hands could reach the doorknob. The moment he sprung it open, his voice took on a notch higher."Inuyasha! What is the meaning of this?"

"Didn't Kagome tell you?" shouted his brother back. "We're picking you up for the hanami! What? Don't tell me you said yes and you're still not ready?"

"I said NO!" Pinching the bridge of his nose, Sesshoumaru tried to see where he had gone wrong with his conversation with Kagome. Oh wait, that's right – none. She had simply bulldozed her way into making him accept the sakura viewing invitation. When did he ever think his words had any effect on that idiot?

"Go put something on. Otou-san and Okaa-san are waiting for us downstairs. Don't make me drag you by your stupid long hair."

Sesshoumaru didn't bother reminding Inuyasha that he had the same stupid long hair as his. Their blonde, almost white hair seemed to have an aversion to the shears for it always grew back within days to its original length. As a doctor, he had it pulled back in a tidy ponytail at the base of his neck but for Inuyasha, his half brother had chosen to let it free and unruly.

The look suited a more feudal era, which was why Inuyasha often preferred to dress in a traditional hakama than the business suits worn by Sesshoumaru.

But for today…

"Ah Sesshoumaru-kun! You look so perfect as ever, even in traditional clothes!" Sesshoumaru eyed Izayoi warily as he took the passenger seat next to Inuyasha.

"I thought it was fitting to be dressed this way," he replied as politely as he could. Regardless of how he felt about her, his father had chosen to be with this woman. "How are you Chichi-ue, Izayoi-san?"

The drive to the picnic spot under the sakura trees took less than fifteen minutes and soon the family was sprawled over the grass, munching on mochi and pouring sake for each other.

"I'm glad you took the time to come out today Sesshoumaru." The eldest Oshiro male patted a hand over his shoulder. "We never really spent that much time together didn't we?"

"That's because you were busy with the hospital then the clinic," replied Sesshoumaru in a monotone voice. There was no need to hint any emotions to his father, not when the damage was done nearly three decades ago.

"Well, I won't say it again but I'm proud of you. You're a fine doctor –still lots to catch up to me of course but still, fine." His father held out his empty saucer, to which Sesshoumaru filled with the clear sake.

He would never admit it to anyone, not even his father, that he had pursued medicine in hopes of being closer to the old man. He respected him a lot; looking up to him like an idol.

And yet, the moment he entered high school, his father announced that he was moving to Inuyama; leaving Sesshoumaru and his mother in Tokyo. Haha-ue was fine with it since they had been divorced for a long time but for Sesshoumaru, he had considered it abandonment on the part of his father.

Sure, there were the school breaks where he would grudgingly visit his step family but those instances became rarer and rarer as he grew older, until eventually he stopped communicating with them at all. It was only because of Inuyasha's and Kagome's wedding two years ago that he had resumed contact with them – not to mention that the pesky female badgered him constantly to spend time with them during Christmas and New year.

Speaking of which… "Why'd you let Kagome use your phone to call me?"

"Well because I know you wouldn't pick up her call! She's got an announcement to make which is why we're all gathered here," said his father with an amused grin on his face. "Looks like you've got more than one catching up to do."

Sesshoumaru only got the full meaning of the teasing when Kagome gathered them all and handed out a small postcard to each of the family members.

"What's this?" Inuyasha stared open mouthed at the card, putting it up into the sun with a deep frown. Sesshoumaru couldn't believe the stupid look Inuyasha had on his face –it was either he was in complete shock, or truly he was that much of an idiot.

"It's an ultrasound scan you silly!" Kagome began to squeal as she and Izayoi started to hug and cry in each other's' arms. "We're having a baby!"

"Congratulations Inuyasha, Kagome. We look forward to an addition to the family." Sesshoumaru caught his father's grin aimed his way. "And you Sesshoumaru? When are you going to settle down already? Thirty-seven and still unmarried. As the eldest son –"

"Chichi-ue, I believe I'll be taking my leave now. Thank you for your generosity everyone." There was only so much patience he had for his family.

"Onii-san! Wait, we haven't told you the best part yet!" Kagome immediately snatched his wrist, pulling him back into the group. "Inuyasha and I have been talking and we'd love it if you could be the baby's godfather."

"No."

"Please think about it. You have six months until the baby is born to decide." Kagome's smile never wavered but Sesshoumaru caught the glimpse of sadness in her eyes.

Perhaps it was his guilt at causing her unnecessary hurt that weighed on his conscience but Sesshoumaru found himself quietly returning to his seat, choosing to stuff his face with sweets rather than involve himself in further conversation.

Of course with Kagome, his wishes were never respected.

"Ne, Onii-san, how's work going? I might be swinging by sooner than you'd expect! My gynaecologist is taking up office in your clinic soon so we'll see each other a lot."

Sesshoumaru was not surprised to hear this. True, he was always calling his father's clinic a dump but for a local medical centre, it had surprisingly good facilities and equipment, with complementary disciplines of paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology as the centre's core foundation.

"Children love sweets."

"Oh! You went to the candy store I told you about?" At his reluctant nod, she became an excited chatter box. "Rin-chan, the storekeeper is an absolute gem. If she likes you, she sometimes slips in a little extra for the road. I love her pink bubble gums the most!"

"You shouldn't be eating so much sweets Kagome."

"Oh they're not for me. They're for the students. I'm going to get a new batch of grade one's this year, so I'd definitely drop by again soon. Want to come with me?"

For some reason, Sesshoumaru knew that his sanity was at risk if he said yes. "No that's fine. I still have a large stash in my drawer."

"Ah… you prefer to meet the pretty shopkeeper by yourself? You're such a tease Onii-san!" Kagome gave him a playful slap on his arm. "Ne, she is pretty right?"

"Uh huh." He hoped the mochi in his mouth was an excuse but she continued pestering him until he gave a resounding yes – not that it was far from the truth. She _was_ pleasing to the eye, not overly gorgeous like some model but not your regular small town plain Jane either. What struck him most about her was the contrast between her fair skin and her dark hair. In another life, perhaps Kagome and her could have been sisters.

"You should ask her out," said Kagome before they parted their ways that evening. Sesshoumaru chose not to respond this time; fearing any sort of commitment to a 'promise' he would not keep. After all, how many times did he need to reiterate that he wasn't in Inuyama to socialise?

/ / / /

APRIL

RIN

When the handsome, well-dressed gentleman dropped by her shop again that week, Rin didn't question the large purchase of sweets this time. She figured that he either had a lot of children or a particular strange addiction of sugar.

Not that she particularly minded either. She was however, curious as to why someone looking so affluent would drop by her musty store to buy hundred yen sweets.

"That will be 3000 yen sir," she announced happily before packing his items. Then, on a whim, she pulled out an extra tube of pastilles and added it to the stash. "It's a free gift for buying this much," she informed him when she caught his suspiciously raised eyebrows.

From then on, their weekly encounter consisted of the same routine –he would gather a large amount of sweets, she would pack them and slip a small treat and he would leave after a polite nod. His consistent expenditure of 3000 yen also made her dub him 'Sanzen-san' since he hadn't offered a name. Those precious Mondays always saw her taking slightly longer to pick out her outfit for the day, much to her son's annoyance.

"Okaa-san, hayaku! You promised you'll let me choose one of the new sweets from the box today!"

Rin flitted her eyes to her dressing mirror and caught Hiroki's tousled dark hair from the reflection. Smiling, she beckoned him closer, grabbing him in a tight hug before attempting to tame his curls. "Hai, hai! First day at the big boy's school too. Maybe I should let you have two treats if…you give me two big kisses."

Her little boy struggled to entangle himself from her embrace. "Okaa-san! I'm six! I'm not a baby. Kisses are for babies."

"Oh is that so?" she released him slightly. "Then in that case, I'll take back my offer of the two sweets. Maybe we'll save them for tomorrow."

Those rosy cheeks went even redder with Hiroki's eyes watering slightly. "But Okaa-san… you promised! And we must never break our promises right?" At his puppy eyed plea, Rin knew she had been defeated.

Promises were very important between them – a lesson she fought hard to instil in her son –and so Rin gave her son a gentle kiss on his forehead before leading him into the backroom where she kept the new stocks of sweets.

"Only one, Hiro-chan."

The smile on his face was so earnest that Rin wondered, albeit regretfully, how his father could ever choose not to share custody of their child. Her thoughts were still on her ex-husband when Hiroki bounced towards her, prize in hand.

"I'd like this please Okaa-san. Can I put it in with my bento?" He was already running towards his packed lunchbox before she could say yes. A second later when she joined him, Hiroki had already laced his shoes and stood slightly teary-eyed as stared up at his mother from the genkan of the house. "Kaa-san…"

Stepping down barefooted, Rin folded her hands around her not-so-grown-up little boy, pulling him into a warm embrace. It looked like she would be sending him to his first day at elementary school after all. A good thing that she had the foresight to close the shop for the morning.

Slipping his hand into hers, Hiroki was silent as they strolled down the road towards his new Shōgakkō. Having lived in Inuyama all her life, Rin recalled fondly her own first day at school and for a moment, felt the same foreboding anxiety that her son was probably having right then.

"Hiro-chan? It'll be fine. You'll make friends in no time and soon you'll be home and telling me all about your day," assured Rin when they finally made it to the school gates. "Want me to walk you in?"

The boy nodded mutedly, still clutching his mother's hand. Rin knew this phase would soon come to pass in a few weeks. Some day he might not even want her to send him to school anymore.

"Hai! Grade 1c students, this way please!" Rin looked up and saw a female teacher waving Hiroki's class sign.

"Ah, that must be your new homeroom teacher. She looks nice no?" Rin slowly loosened his grip of her hand and gently guided him towards the classroom.

"Ohayo gozaimasu! Are you a student of this class?" The female teacher peered kindly down at Hiroki before giving a broad smile. "My name is Suzuki-Sensei. What's yours?"

Rin had to nudge his shoulder slightly before he muttered a hello and mumbled his name.

"Well then Hiroki-chan, why don't you join your new friends and I'll be with you shortly?" The raven haired teacher gestured towards the classroom.

Rin watched as her son gave her one last puppy-eyed look before disappearing past door. _Don't cry Hiro-chan! Ganbatte!_

"Ah, arigatou gozaimasu Sensei." Rin gave a polite bow. "Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu!"

But when she looked up, Suzuki-Sensei was laughing. "Oh you're the owner of the candy store around the corner aren't you? I've been hearing some lovely things about you! Well, I'll be sure to take good care of Hiroki-chan then."

Eh? Lovely things about her? From whom?

"Must be the children," she thought to herself. Best to prepare the shop for their after-school treat then!

/ / / /

It usually didn't rain much during Sakura season but that week, it came down in torrents. Every morning, Rin had to make sure Hiroki had his raincoat securely fastened and his boots on before they walked to his school together.

But that afternoon, despite bundling him up in warm blankets, Rin's motherly instincts knew for a fact that her son was about to come down with a cold. He had come home sneezing, his eyes slightly blurry and a lack of appetite even for his favourite nikujaga.

"Hiro-chan, you're burning up…" Rin placed a fresh cool towel on his forehead as she pulled his blanket under his chin. "Shall we go and see a doctor?"

Her son moaned a 'no' and turned his head into her lap before coughing his little lungs out.

"Alright that's it Hiroki." Rin scooped her son into a cradling position and started walking towards the door. "You'll only get worst through the night."

Due to the terrible weather, it wasn't surprising to see quite a few younglings huddled up beside their parents in the paediatric clinic that evening. Some were coughing, some sneezing but all were crying and moaning. When it was finally Hiroki's turn, Rin took him by the hand and knocked on the doctor's door before entering.

"Konnichiwa, how are you feeling –oh… it's you."

Whatever he didn't express in words was evident on his face. The surprise and shock clearly mirrored her own.

"Ah… Sensei." Her tongue suddenly felt glued to the ceiling of her mouth. "Ano…"

"Kaa-san… I don't feel too good," whimpered Hiroki by her side. "I want to go home…"

The two adults broke off from their staring silence and focused instead on Hiroki. Sanzen-san then beckoned Hiroki to the seat before him. "Okay open your mouth and say 'aaa'…" Rin watched as her son obediently complied. "Hmm, the back of your throat is as red as a monkey's bottom! I'm going to take your temperature now okay?"

An ear thermometer was placed in Hiroki's left ear and Sanzen-san announced that Hiroki definitely had a fever.

"I'll prescribe you some medicine but you're going to need to rest a lot at home and keep warm." When Hiroki nodded weakly, Sanzen-san smiled before opening his drawer to take out a small gray toy. "And here's a small something to keep you company okay?"

To her surprise, he whipped out a small keychain with a Totoro figurine attached to it. It looked achingly familiar to those twist and turn machines she had at her candy store. Did he buy all those sweets just so he could give them out to the children here?

As though aware that he was being observed, Sanzen-san suddenly looked up at Rin, those amber eyes of his sending a surprised jolt down her body. "Ano… Nakamura-san?" He called out tentatively.

"Hai, I'm Hiroki Nakamura's mother. Will my son be alright San – I mean, Sensei?"

The doctor raised his eyebrow at her slippery of the tongue but he merely shook his head. "It's a normal cold. He'll be fine if he rests at home for the next two days. You umm, have anyone to help take care of him or the shop?"

Ah, the touchy subject of her missing husband. People always feared that she couldn't take care of Hiroki as well just because she was a single mother.

"We'll be fine Sensei. Our house is actually just behind the shop so I can keep an eye on both at the same time."

He didn't seem convinced but he made no further comment. Thanking him for the trouble, Rin slipped out of the consultation room with her son and waited to collect his medicine.

Though still feeling woozy, Hiroki's face had lit up somewhat as he toyed with the Totoro keychain. "Sensei was really nice wasn't he Kaa-san? I thought he was scary but then he gave me this!"

Rin raised an eyebrow doubtfully at her son. "Wasn't it you before who said he was a scary man? That he reminded you of the Kuchisake Onna?" At the mention of the youkai, Hiroki gave a squeak. Everyone in town knew the story of the 'slit-mouthed woman' wearing a surgical mask who attacked random people after asking if she was pretty.

"Yeah but that's before Totoro-chan! How did he know I love Totoro?" whispered Hiroki into his mother's ears.

To that, she smiled slyly before turning to whisper back into his ears; her hands ready at the side of his waist for a tickle attack. "Perhaps he _is_ a youkai and reads minds of little children so he can eat them."

Forgetting all about his fever, her son squealed under her expert playfulness, laughing as they huddled all the way home under their jumbo umbrella.

/ / / /

Rin didn't see Sanzen-san Sensei again until the following week when the skies started clearing up and the temperature became warmer. Hiroki had gotten much better, but Rin on the other hand…

"Okaa-san, want me to make you some hot tea? Your coughing is so bad!"

Slumped over her front desk, Rin felt miserable but she sat up immediately at her son's voice. "Welcome home Hiro-chan…"

Accepting the cup of comfort from her son, Rin took a sip before resting her head once more on the table.

"Irasshaimase!"

Rin didn't even have the energy to lift her head at Hiro-chan's greeting. As long as their customer didn't peek behind the counter, they wouldn't be able to see her pathetic form. Besides, Hiroki had been helping her out with the shop since he was much younger so it was not such a strange sight.

"Sensei!" Rin opened one eye cautiously, watching her son bounce off the seat and into the shop. Peeking from above the till, she saw him chatting with the stern faced doctor, showing him his favourite candies.

"You're alone in the shop?" She heard him asking.

At times like these, Rin wished her son knew the concept of white lies. "She's behind the counter. Okaa-san isn't feeling well. I think I made her ill…" A little shuffling of feet later, Rin sensed the duo standing just behind her – much to her dismay. "Do you think you could make Okaa-san feel better?"

Rin covered her face with her hands in embarrassment. Though of no fault of his, Hiroki had just made a statement worthy of having his mother bury her face in shame.

"Oh… well, I'm actually a children's doctor so I couldn't possibly administer adult medicine." Hiroki must have pouted at this point because Rin felt Sanzen-san kneeling beside her. "But, I could still have a look. Would that be okay Hiroki-chan?"

"Okaa-san, please let Sensei look at you." Her son's gentle tug felt like lead weight on her heart.

Finally pulling herself together, she lifted her head and came face to face with her dazzling 3000yen man. "I'm fine. I just need to get some water," she insisted, getting up and forcing her way towards the back entrance. "Please don't trouble yourself Sensei… If you need to buy anything, Hiro can –"

Whatever else she wanted to say was forgotten as darkness claimed her.

/ / / / /

Rin awoke sometime in the middle of the night to the warm presence of her son by her side. Reaching out, she stroked his hair gently, pulling back his fringe and running her fingers through the long strands.

He needed a haircut soon. Didn't she just take him to the hairdresser two weeks ago? How did his hair grow so long…

Rin sat up so suddenly that she knocked her knee against the snoozing body, waking the person up from slumber. This was clearly not her son!

"Who… who are you!" she screamed, inching backwards and pulling her blanket towards her. From the falling waterfall of white hair appeared her greatest nightmare. Not a lock out of place, not even a single crease from sleeping on the tatami mat! Who gave him permission to look that god-like even though he just woke up? "Sensei?!"

"My apologies." He took a step back and sat on his knees. "I've already tucked Hiroki into bed. He insisted on sleeping here but I told him he might catch a cold again."

He what? "You… gave him his night time bath and –"

"Yes read him a book and gave him a glass of warm milk. He was pretty insistent on those two rituals. But he is sound asleep now so please lie back down and rest."

She eyed him suspiciously. "Then who allowed you in my room?"

To that, Sanzen-san got to his feet and walked over to fetch a glass of water and some medicine which he shoved in her face. "Believe me, I will be sending a bill for this home consultation. So please Nakamura-san, take your medicine and get back to bed."

Knowing that arguing at this hour would be pointless, Rin took the glass and downed the pills he had set aside for her.

"You can go home now you know. I imagine it must be close to midnight." The medicine tasted strangely sweet. Did he give her a child's dose? "I don't want to be accused of being a husband stealer."

Something akin to surprise passed across Sanzen-san's face. Rin almost wanted to chide him for pretending to be ignorant when she realised that he was new to the town so he didn't know.

"I am divorced, in case you were wondering, so no husband is coming home to relieve you. Was that whom you were waiting for?" His nod confirmed her suspicion.

"I will leave immediately Nakamura-san. It wasn't my intention to make you uncomfortable but Hiroki would not sleep until I promised to stay here by your side." Sanzen-san walked over to the door but paused slightly to look at her.

"No, I should apologise for inconveniencing you Sensei. Please send the bill to me as soon as possible." No doubt, she would have to dig into her bank account for that. Home visits were never cheap, not even from a small town clinic like Oshiro's.

For a moment, the man didn't budge, seemingly frozen in his place.

"Sensei?"

Amber eyes blinked rapidly before lifting to gaze at her. "About the bill –"

"It's fine. Regardless the amount, I can pay for it."

"Ano… that's not it Nakamura-san. Thing is, I'm not charging you at all for today. I feel terrible for imposing myself in your home like this. Can I make it up to you somehow?"

What? Was the fever making her hallucinate? Surely _she_ was the one at fault here? "That's not necessary Sensei."

"No I insist. Next Monday. Dinner, 7pm. I'll come by the store and fetch you."

He didn't give her time to refuse for he turned and left almost immediately; rendering her speechless. What… what just happened? Did Sanzen-san Sensei just offered to buy her dinner?

"This is one big nightmare," she reassured herself, taking in deep breaths, one after the other. "Everything will be fine and back to normal when I wake up."

/ / /

A/N: Cheeky monkey that Sesshoumaru! Ahah, hope you enjoyed the first chapter. This story won't be long, maybe 4-5 short chapter at most. I MUST get it out of my head.

Anyway for those of you who don't speak Japanese (I don't, but I know a little), the title is actually a punny one. It means Doctor, you are so sweet (kind/tender)! Apart from the obvious hint to the sweet shop, the word 'sweet' also has a connotation of naivety and I think this perfectly reflects Rin's and Hiroki's spiralling fall for the dashing hero later on. Hehe.

Also, did you know that Inuyama is a real place in Japan, near Nagoya? When I visited it, I immediately thought of Inuyasha (naturally).


	2. An unexpected stroke of fate

Characters

Rin Nakamura + Hiroki Nakamura

Sesshomaru/ Inuyasha Oshiro

[Sanzen-san =Mr 3000 is Rin's nickname for Sess]

Kagome Suzuki

Sango/Kohaku Yamamoto

Kagura Kazeko

APRIL

SESSHOUMARU

The week leading up to Monday moved exceedingly slow. Sesshoumaru had expected his reluctant date to come storming into his clinic during the week to try and talk him out of it but he had heard nothing from her, not even a call.

Yes, he was going to admit it. This would be a date.

Ever since that stupid talk with Kagome, the sweet shop owner was all that had been on his mind. She was so unlike the other girls who caught his interest in the past. For starters, she was always reading. Each time he entered her shop, she would greet him cheerfully, tucking aside the book to make sure he didn't see it.

But of course he did.

Unfortunately his knowledge of English didn't extend towards literature but he was sure that Wuthering Heights was not your typical cosmo entertainment material. He'd run it through his search engine of course – each and every one of the books he caught her reading.

Rather petite, she didn't have the long lanky built of his usual supermodel-like girlfriends nor was she fashionable like the city girls he was used to. Nothing about her was remarkable and yet, she had managed to catch his eye somehow.

Perhaps it was the way she smiled so genuinely at him – no agenda behind those curved lips –or perhaps it was the little bribes he had begun to look forward to each time he made his purchase.

But all that came to a standstill the day she walked in with her son in tow.

She had a son. A six year old. That same boy he met outside the candy store weeks ago. Why hadn't he put two and two together then?

Sesshoumaru blamed it on her youthful face. Surely she could not be older than 24 at most? And to have a six year old child at her age, she must have gotten married pretty early.

He had planned to leave his appreciation of the woman to himself from then on and even tried to ask Sango his nurse aid to help him buy the sweets. But a week later, he couldn't help himself but swing by her store one more time.

He promised it was going to be the last time. Little did he know that it would open up a new different view of her in his eyes.

Being a single mum in a small town must have been difficult; the looks, the whispers. His mother had been lucky in a sense since people in the city didn't really care that much; their interactions limited and always casual. But here, everybody knew everybody.

" _I don't want to be accused of being a husband stealer."_

Though she had spat that out nonchalantly, he still caught the sharp bite of anger at the end of her words. People were often so quick to judge when in reality, he knew how hard it was to raise a child all alone. And he had seen the way she held her son – there was so much love and attention in her words, her touch. Sesshoumaru had none of that growing up. Haha-ue preferred the hands-off approach, leaving him to the care of his myriad of tutors instead.

It then occurred to him at that moment that he had truly inconvenienced Nakamura-san! By asking her out for dinner, he would have sent her looking for someone to watch over Hiroki. How could he be so selfish?

Rifling through his patients' files, Sesshoumaru hurriedly tried to look for Hiroki's folder, knowing that his mother's contact number was on it. If they really couldn't find a suitable babysitter for the night, well…

"Moshi moshi. This is Nakamura household."

"Hi, it's me." The silence on the other line was not encouraging. "Umm, Oshiro-Sensei from the clinic?"

"Is it about Hiroki?" the feminine voice took a sharp spike of fear. "He should be home from school soon but if he is there I'm coming –"

"Iye. Well, no, actually it _is_ about your son. I was wondering if you found someone suitable to watch him for tonight?"

"Tonight? Oh… OH." He heard a slap that sounded like she smacked her forehead. "Forgive me Sensei… I was sure I had dreamt it all up. I… well, I didn't arrange for anything."

Sesshoumaru placed his hands together and looked up at the sky. _Thank you Kami-sama for this reminder._ "Tell you what. I'll pick up the both of you anyway at 7pm and I'll get someone to watch over him for you." The receiver on the other line sounded like it fell on the floor. "Uh, Nakamura-san?"

"Ah! Sensei, please don't trouble yourself. We could do this another day!"

Sesshoumaru wished she was right in front of him at the moment. He knew without a doubt that she would be shrinking in her seat, like a prey trying to escape a predator's gaze. If he didn't catch her now, she would run away for good.

"Unfortunately, I must insist Nakamura-san. I will see you both at 7pm tonight. See you." He clipped the line before she could protest. Turning his attention to the phone again, he dialed a different number. "Kagome, do you think you and Inuyasha could do me a favour tonight?"

/ / / /

RIN

Her first reaction was to press her head against the wall. It was real, all of it – down to the fact that she had less than five hours to get dressed! What was she to wear? Rin hadn't gone on a date for years; her last one being just before she got pregnant. She didn't even have high heels!

Closing the shop early for the day, she rushed to her cupboards and started pulling out everything that didn't scream 'boring'. Out went her maternity clothes, some of which she still donned on every now and then, then her baggy slacks and shirts, then her 90s printed dresses and finally her plain beige-coloured undergarments.

"I have black panties, black panties, black panties," she chorused, digging through her drawer until she found her one pathetic piece. "Right, we'll forgo the bra and argh!" Reaching to the bottom of her cupboard, she finally found that slinky black dress she had bought two years ago but hadn't the nerve to wear it out. It had been an impulse buy – one she needed desperately because she had a terrible fight with Hiroki's father just before – and then regretted it.

"Oh my god." Rin examined herself in the mirror, embarrassed at the way her hips filled out the tight fitting material. "I can't wear _that_!" Looking down at her legs, she groaned, lamenting that she hadn't even shaved her legs and that she hadn't a decent pair of shoes.

"Okaa-san? Are you alright?"

Whipping her head back, Rin widened her eyes at the sight of her son at her door. "Did you just arrive home? Welcome home."

"Are we… going somewhere?" asked the boy curiously, crawling over to the pile of clothes she had dumped on the floor. "This dress is very nice on you Okaa-san."

That immediately got her attention. "You don't think I look… fat?"

At her son's vigorous shake of his head, Rin let out a laugh before kneeling down to hug him. "How's school Hiro-chan?"

"We had a surprise test today."

"Oh? What subject?"

"English." Hiroki pouted as he looked up sheepishly at his mother. "Suzuki-sensei asked how come I knew all the answers when everyone else didn't. Everyone was teasing me Kaa-san… and Hiro-chan felt sad."

"Oh my poor baby." Rin pulled him into another hug; her wardrobe concern all forgotten. Whenever her son started referring to himself in the third person, she knew it was a serious matter. "You shouldn't be sad, you should be proud of yourself!"

"I told Suzuki-sensei that Okaa-san and I read together every night. One book in English and one book in Japanese. Then someone called me a nerd. What's a nerd Kaa-san?"

The crestfallen look on his face was too much for Rin to bear. "It's not a bad thing to be called a nerd. Hmm, do you remember Oshiro-Sensei? I'm sure that he was a called a nerd too, especially when he wears his glasses at the clinic and looks really scary. In fact, why don't you ask him tonight if it bothers him at all because I sure don't think so!"

"Sensei is the nicest person ever! I know I'm not supposed to tell you Okaa-san, but sometimes when he comes to the shop he slips me a new toy…"

Rin didn't have the heart to chide him at the moment. Instead she tried her best to prepare her only son for their little apart time that evening. "Well, since you like Sensei so much, he is coming to pick up the both of us later at 7pm. That's why I'm wearing this dress."

Hiroki immediately pushed away from his mother, making a strange face. "Eww… like a date? Where you kiss and stuff? That's gross!"

Rin felt her face going red at her son's lack of tact. There would definitely not be any kissing… or stuff! And this wasn't a date!

"Oshiro-Sensei is only buying me dinner. It is for the trouble I put him through the other night when I was sick and…" Wait, even her logic didn't make sense! "No, _I_ am buying dinner."

"Then why can't I come?" Her son pouted. "But I want to talk to Sensei too!"

"Ah well, that's…" Well, why not? "Tell you what, why don't you ask him yourself later? I'm sure he has no good reason for why you cannot come along!"

Just in case, Rin also dressed her son up slightly, forcing the hyperactive six year old into a nice dress shirt and jeans. She even ordered him to get his new shoes – to which he complied –and then called him in after she was dressed to help him brush his hair.

As soon as he was ready, Hiroki rushed to the front door and sat by the genkan until the doorbell rang. Rin stood a little further behind, watching her little boy size up the competition.

"You're early Sensei!"

"Hai! I was quite looking forward to seeing you. Is your mother ready?" Sanzen-san bent forward slightly, offering his small bouquet of flowers to the little boy. "If she's not, could you help me put these in some water?"

Hiroki accepted the offer but didn't budge from the door. "Sanzen-san Sensei, are you here to steal my Okaa-san from me?"

Rin had to hold back her laughter, suppressing the sound as best as she could. But she was caught. Those amber eyes held hers in a surprisingly challenging stance.

"I wouldn't dream of it Hiro-chan. But if I do ever, I promise I will ask permission from the rightful man of the house. That's you right?" At Hiroki's determined nod, he then frowned. "But who is Sanzen-san? My name is Sesshoumaru."

Rin figured it was now the right time to step in. "Ah, Sensei, please come in. Let me put these flowers in water and we can go. Hiroki, could you help me please?"

Her son's eyes widened at the sound of his full name on her lips. That usually signaled trouble, though of course he wasn't in any tonight.

"So, are we ready to go?" asked the doctor once mother and son emerged from the kitchen. "I've arranged for my brother and sister-in-law to watch over him for tonight. I hope that wouldn't be too much of a problem for you?"

Hiroki looked up at Rin and then at the doctor, shuffling his feet slightly. "Umm… Sensei? Why can't I come along? Okaa-san says that it's not a date…"

"Oh did she?" For a moment, those stern eyes softened as he laughed. "Well, I wouldn't say it's a date either but tonight is rather special. I promise we'll take you for the next one."

Rin almost shrieked. What did he mean by the next one? This was a one-time thing and no way was she going out with him again! And definitely not with Hiroki! Looking down at her son, Rin was hoping the boy would put up a fight and insist on joining them. But instead, her six year old boy had a look she had never seen before on his face.

Moving away from her side, he stood toe to toe with the doctor and looked up earnestly. "Will you be kissing my Okaa-san?"

And without batting an eyelid, the infuriating man said yes.

"That makes me happy," whispered Hiroki, looking down suddenly at his feet. "Okay. But promise you'll return her home to me?"

"Why of course Nakamura-san, I wouldn't dare to do otherwise."

/ / / / /

Rin had been surprised when the babysitter for the night turned out to be Hiroki's homeroom teacher. What a small world indeed. After reassuring her son that he wasn't in any trouble with his teacher and that he could play as much as he wanted, Rin then followed the silent Sensei back to his car.

As they sat side by side, she really came to miss Hiroki's presence, aware that she had been using him as a buffer between them. And now with the boy gone, she didn't really know what to say.

Turning towards him, she was about to ask if they were going to make a move when he suddenly switched off the engine.

"Nakamura-san, I hadn't planned for this, so early in the night but…" His hand reached to the back of her head and pulled her towards him; his lips pressing firmly over hers.

For a moment, her body went into a complete state of shock, her lips moving on motor memory alone as her mind still tried to process the denial that she wished to deliver.

Yet nothing came out – except for a moan. Hers.

His lips urged hers apart slightly, letting his tongue snake in to touch hers. All she could think about right then was the taste of his kiss, the smell, the feel of his hand against her cheek. Had it been this long since she was touched by a man?

"Sensei…stop…" Rin was sure she said that, but then why was she climbing closer towards the source of her distress; her hands wrapping around his neck?

"Do… do you still want dinner?"

She should say yes… but instead, Rin pressed herself harder against the male, kissing him back with a desperation she couldn't understand. "One more kiss," came the breathy plea which quickly turned into a moan when the Sensei kindly obliged.

"Dinner..." He pulled back somewhat reluctantly, gripping her by the shoulders and looking down into her eyes. "We should go."

Rin wished that she could read his expressions a little better for in the dark, all she could sense was his rapidly beating heart and the slight tremble in his hands. Even for a woman who had not dated in a long time, Rin knew the classic signs of lust when she saw it.

The thought made her heart pound even harder.

"Yes, we should," she forced herself to say. Though her body craved for his touch, she knew that progressing any further at this point would only lead to major regret tomorrow morning. "Where are we going Sensei?"

Putting the car into the drive gear, her date then cleared his throat and said, "There is a french restaurant not far from here. I believe it's the only one in town." At the next red light, he turned to face her. "Forgive me for my selfishness. I should have asked you beforehand."

About the kiss or about the choice of cuisine? Settling for the safer alternative, Rin reassured him that French food was fine. "Of course it cannot be compared to the ones you're used to in Tokyo."

"How did you know I was from Tokyo? Have you been checking up on me?" Rather than being suspicious, he sounded amused.

As if she'd fall into the trap of admitting that!

"Accent." Rin shrugged nonchalantly. "Inutaisho-sensei used to sound like you when he first arrived too. Now we can't tell he's not local anymore."

"So you've lived here all your life?"

The easiest answer would be to say yes. There was no need to share why she left Inuyama and returned six years ago.

"What about you? You're a city boy through and through aren't you? Must be hard adjusting to our quiet life here."

"I think we all have a choice at that." Turning into the driveway of the restaurant, he parked the car before looking straight at her. "But I believe I might have found something to keep me interested in this place for awhile."

Thank god for the dark for Rin couldn't bear to let him see her tomato red face!

Dinner as it went was smooth, with Rin allowing her date to select the dishes for her. All the strange sounding names and her inability to pronounce them would only add to her country bumpkin image. _That_ , she was extremely conscious about.

"You're right about this not being the same as the ones in Tokyo. Perhaps I should have gone for something more local?"

Rin clinked her wine glass with his as she watched his minute expressions. Was she that obvious in her discomfort? Or was he really the mind reading youkai she tried to frighten Hiro-chan with?

"Please do not trouble yourself Sensei. Already I feel terrible having you pay for this meal. I should be the one -"

"You can pay for the next one if you'd like," he mused, a ghost of a smile flitting on his lips. "Although... I also accept payment in sweets, cuddles and kisses. I believe that's your speciality isn't it?"

Rin looked down at her half eaten plate and wondered if a fork was sharp enough to pierce through his hand. "That's... that's..."

"That's perfect?"

Slapping her hands on the table, she glared at him. "There's an age limit to that!" she hissed, trying to bat away at his hand reaching for hers.

"You need to revise your policies Nakamura-san. I am after all a valued customers at your shop."

Rin couldn't take the teasing any longer. Pushing back her seat, she excused herself and ran towards the washroom.

What was this doki-doki feeling? Sensei was just playing with her. That's what all city boys do didn't they? And when they got bored of the game, they'd just pack up and leave.

"I'm not making this same mistake twice." Rin stared at her reflection, willing her reddened face to calm down. At least if not for her, then for Hiroki's sake.

So when she returned to the table, Rin had every intention of telling the doctor to back off; the right words already repeated like a mantra in her head.

That was before she saw the package. "What's this?"

"Take a seat. It's for you Nakamura-san."

A present? Rin picked up the package cautiously, tearing the sides gently. "Is there a reason for – oh!" She pulled out two books and laid them side by side. " Murakami-Sensei's books? No wait. Book."

"I've seen you read a lot of classics. Thought I'd introduce you to a contemporary favourite of mine." He tapped on the book's title. "Have you read this? It's my particular favourite."

"Kafka on the shore? But why do I have an English translated version as well? The Japanese one is good enough Sensei."

At her embarrassed expression, Sanzen-san smiled at her. "The English one is my personal copy. In fact, I do not own a single Japanese book."

What? Now that's a crime! "Then why don't we exchange? I'll keep your copy and you can keep the other one."

"Not possible. They are both yours. A gift to celebrate our friendship." Rin tried not to remind him that he was holding on to her hand so unlike that of a friend. "A month ago, I first stepped into your shop."

Eh? What? Was this like some sort of anniversary?

Trying her best to keep her blush down, Rin stammered a 'thank you' before putting the books into the small bag she carried.

When they finally exited the restaurant a while later, Rin looked at her watch: 9.30pm. They should probably head back if they were to meet her promise to pick her son up by ten. But if Rin was honest with herself, she didn't wish for the night to end that quickly.

When she turned to look at her date, it seemed that he too was thinking the same. "Would you like to go for a small walk?" he asked, offering his hand to her.

Rin didn't know why she nodded -and worst, why she slipped her hand into his -but somehow it felt like the right thing to do at the moment. Though they weren't saying anything, their walk was not filled with empty silence. Every nerve in her body was attuned to his presence. From the slight caress of his thumb over the top of her hand, to his deep breathing and light cologne...

"It's getting cold. Let's head back to the car," he suggested after awhile. "Your phone is ringing too. I believe you're being summoned home."

True to his word, she saw an unknown number on her phone and picked it up. "Moshi... ah Hiro-chan. Yes I'm coming over to pick you up now... eh? Yes it went very well." She pressed the receiver closer to her ear in a bid to prevent her son's embarrassing questions from being overheard. "That's enough Hiroki Nakamura. You pack your bags right now."

"He asked you about the kiss?" Sanzen-san laughed as she stashed the phone in her bag; ears gone beetroot red. "I'm guessing that's the part where you told him off."

Rin seethed in silence all the way until they arrived to pick Hiroki up. The boy greeted them with half his face covered by a large white heap of fur.

"Okaa-san! Look! Suzuki-sensei said I could come over any time and play with Daisuke!" He tried to pass the puppy into her arms, much to his mother's dismay. It wasn't that she didn't like dogs, it's just that she was...

Achoo! Achoo!

Allergic.

"Oh dear, I think we'd better get you two home," intervened Sanzen-san, picking up Hiroki's bag and dusting as much hair as he could from the boy's shirt. "Hiroki-chan, is it okay if you sit alone at the back? Your mother is going to keep –"

Achoo!

"Sneezing." Sanzen-san gave her an apologetic look before turning his attention to their babysitter. "Arigatou Kagome for agreeing so last minute. Tell that baka brother of mine, I said hi too."

They exchanged a few more words but Rin couldn't hear a word over her constant sneezes; her ears going slightly deaf as well. She was finally glad when Sanzen-san ushered her back to his car, insisting that she sat at the front seat.

"Hiroki-chan still has some hair on him. You don't want a full fledged sinusitis to develop do you?"

Taking his offered handkerchief, she parked herself next to the driver's seat and sneezed all the way home.

"Okaa-san, will you be okay?" Hiroki tried to hug her but Sanzen-san got in between them, kneeling before the boy who was on the verge of tears. " Sensei, it's my fault right? Hiro-chan made Kaa-san sick!"

"Oh no sweetie that's not – Achoo! Achoo!" Rin gave up and leaned against the door entrance, watching the doctor lead her son inside, most likely towards the bath following the sounds of running water soon after.

Grateful for the respite, Rin dashed into the kitchen and rummaged for her allergy medication, downing two tablets with a quick chug of water. Pressing her palms down on the counter top, Rin stayed that way until the urge to sneeze again subsided.

Hearing the playful shouts and splashing still going on, Rin then put the kettle on; scooping milk powder into her son's favourite mug and waiting for the familiar whistle to signal that the water was boiling.

She was halfway pouring the hot water into the mug when she sensed the doctor from behind her. "I'll do it," he offered, taking the spoon and kettle from her hands. "I've drawn a new bath and cleared all the hair. The warm water will help."

Rin noted the damp on the front of his dress shirt and all over his well-dressed pants. From the looks of it, Hiroki had a bit of his usual struggle getting out of the bath. Now she really owed him one.

Sighing, Rin peeled off her dress and stepped into the hot water; a soft moan of pleasure escaping her lips as the warm water calmed her senses. Dunking her head underwater, she blew out bubbles until she could feel the stabbing in her chest, before gasping up for breath.

"Are you trying to kill yourself!?" The accusation sent her jolting to the edge of the tub, her eyes widening at the sight of the doctor in her bathroom.

"That's just my way of clearing my nose!" Rin dragged her towel into the tub and wrapped the now soaked cloth around her body. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to inform you that your son's fast asleep. But then I saw your head floating in the water!" He took a precarious step closer. "I'm coming in."

She didn't misheard him this time. "What! No, get out!" But the long limbed male simply stepped in fully dressed, his legs coming up at each side of her body. Trapped between his body and the edge of the tub, Rin grudgingly wrapped the towel tighter around her and simply waited...

"I'll wash your back for you," he announced a second before the cool slippery liquid touched her skin. Not having much of a choice now, Rin allowed him to scrub her upper back; the silence almost unbearable between them. It was only a while later when his hands rested by her waist that he spoke, "Nakamura-san, will you lower your towel for me?"

It wasn't that nakedness bothered her, or the fact that someone had offered to wash her back for her. In the communal baths, it happened all the time. But this was different.

Asking her to be naked, to lower her barriers was expecting a lot; especially since he had made no move to undress. This unequal position was not the best start for this -whatever it was -between them. How far was she willing to trust this man? Someone who not once but twice now helped to put her baby to sleep without raising a single complaint?

"Alright." The towel was allowed to float between her legs before being scooped up and tossed to the floor. As soon as his hands touched her lower back, Rin stiffened; every muscle in her body wary and cautious of the smooth fingertips running down her body.

"Too rough?" he asked, pausing the wash cloth halfway down her back.

Rin shook her head but couldn't help wondering how many times he'd asked that question; how many women's backs he had washed in his life; how many he had bullied to get his way into their homes and into their hearts.

As if reading her mind, he leaned forward to press a gentle kiss at the base of her neck. "I do not make a habit of doing this for just anyone. This is the first time I'm in a tub fully dressed with a woman I am attracted to."

"But you're only washing my back." The unspoken question hung between them.

"Yes."

Rin let out a groan which had nothing to do with the pleasure of having his hands on her skin. This man was the most infuriating male she had ever met! Why did he have to be so straight forward and honest about everything?

"Would you like to stay the night?" She had a spare futon somewhere… "You can take my room and I'll sleep with Hiroki."

His hands stopped moving. "That's a very kind offer Nakamura-san." His arms moved to wrap around her body; his chin resting on her shoulder. "But I will pass this time. Ask me again when you'd like to share your futon with me."

And with that, he released her and got out of the tub, dripping water as he stood in her bathroom. Rin would have offered him a change of clothes if not for the fact that she had none in his size. Instead, she gestured to the bath towels in the cupboard behind him and watched with a vague pseudo disinterest as he peeled off his wet clothes one layer at a time.

A truly erotic scene was unfurling before her eyes and Rin could do nothing more but stare at the magnificent expanse of shoulders, down to the well sculpted abdominal muscles and lower…

Call her prudish if you wish but Rin immediately squeezed her eyes shut.

"I have a spare change of clothes in my car, so don't worry about it." Rin opened her eyes just in time to catch a view of him with one towel wrapped around his waist and the other draped over his shoulders. "I can't afford to fall sick now can I? Or else, who's going to take care of you?"

And that, was the last time she saw him. At least until next Monday.

/ / / /

MAY

SESSHOUMARU

He had skipped his usual Monday sweets shop routine the following week; only to appear on the Thursday of Kodomo no Hi festival. Sesshoumaru recalled a time when May 5th was specifically for boys, with girls having their own special day in March. Nowadays, this boys' festival was celebrated as children's day and for the unlucky few who fell ill on this date, Sesshoumaru figured they deserved a little extra than his usual cheap sweets.

Even before her shop opened at 8am, Sesshoumaru was already standing outside making a mental list of the things he wanted to buy – the shop layout already imprinted in his mind.

"Sensei! Oh I didn't expect to see you today!" cried Rin as the shutters lifted to reveal his peering face in front of hers.

He of course took the opportunity to steal a surprised kiss from the lovely shop keeper. "Ohayo. Bet you thought I wouldn't be coming this week didn't you?" He didn't think it was possible for an adult to be this cute when she blushed but Nakamura-san was truly a gem.

"I suppose you came at a perfect time," she replied in between her morning set up. "Hiro-chan and I have been making these origami helmets for fun -he's having a samurai phase right now -so I thought I'd give them out to the children. Why don't you take half?"

"And these kashiwa-mochi?" He pointed to the pile of oak-leaf wrapped sticky rice cakes.

"They're for the children," said Rin as she slid up behind him. "But I suppose I could make an exception."

This was why he loved this shop. Every now and again, she'd have a basket of something homemade begging to be demolished. It was no wonder children flocked to her shop like bees to honey. And soon, he too was drawn to the gentle humming flower behind the cash register.

"This isn't your usual buys," she commented when he dumped a load of toys onto her counter. "No sweets today?"

"I figured it must suck to be ill today so I'm giving whoever comes in a little extra as a treat." At her surprised look, he laughed as he handed her the bill for 3000yen. "Hiroki-chan is not at school today is he?"

"School's closed for today," she replied, packing his items in a bag. As she handed it over, it came as a surprise when she extended a hand to catch his. "Ano Sensei? Will you be free this afternoon?"

He had intended to close the clinic by lunchtime and head home to read but Sesshoumaru had a feeling that Nakamura-san had a much better idea. "If it includes sweets, cuddles and kisses I'm in."

That blush. He'd never tire of it.

"Hiro-chan and I are flying carp kites in the evening and I'm wondering if you'd like –"

"I'd love to."

/ / / / /

As it turned out, Hiroki-chan was an excellent kite flyer and Sesshoumaru was terrible at it. After his kite got stuck in the tree for the third time, he gave up and sulked on the picnic mat beside the boy's mother.

"Want a mochi?" She offered with a laugh. "You can even have two if it makes you feel better."

"Ha ha." He took two nonetheless. "But I hope this doesn't in any way cloud your view of my manliness."

"Oh I wouldn't dream of it Sensei." Sesshoumaru watched as she bit into her own mochi; her eyes only on her son. If the boy wasn't a third of his height and still wearing spongebob squarepants pajamas to sleep, Sesshoumaru might be the type to get jealous. After all, he was officially the only male allowed to sleep with the beautiful woman currently next to him.

"Nakamura-san, if you don't mind me asking, Hiroki's father... he's?" Out of the picture? Still in love with you? A serial killer in prison? "You don't have to answer me if you don't want to. I'm just asking out of professional curiosity."

The ice in her eyes extinguished whatever laughter she had seconds ago. "Are you saying I'm not capable of being a mother and a father to my son?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying. It's just that, at some point he's going to get teased for it. Middle school, high school..." Sesshoumaru placed a hand over hers. "I'm telling you this because I know what it's like."

Her expression softened a little. "And how is this a professional question?"

"Hiroki's going to be seeing me a lot until he's 18. So in a way, I'll be responsible for his health. I don't want to be the one who tells you that your son is being bullied at school."

He could tell that she was processing his words carefully but before she could respond, the boy in question came squealing into view; plopping down on his mother's lap with the kite draped over him like a blanket.

After being fussed over and fed with some mochi, the boy scooted closer to him. "Ne, Sanzen-san Sensei, will you be joining us for dinner? Okaa-san always makes special Omurice for children's day. But we never finish it by ourselves right Okaa-san?

Dinner it seemed wasn't on his mother's agenda for their guest but after a round of pouts and out of this world promises, she finally relented.

"Wow, if someone promised to wash all the dishes for a month, even I'd be tempted to give in," mused Sesshoumaru at her resigned sigh.

"It's nothing special really," she whispered apologetically. "Just your regular chicken rice wrapped with omelette but served with barbecue sauce..."

Sesshoumaru had been hooked on her homemade stuff even before this offer of dinner so he wasn't going to refuse such a once in a lifetime chance.

"I think that sounds perfect. And does Okaa-san think it's ok if we grab some soda to accompany this awesome meal?" suggested Sesshoumaru, winking at Hiroki.

"Well... just one. And only because it's children's day!" she yelled after him as her son dashed towards the convenience store at the end of the park. Turning towards him, she half frowned and half laughed. "You're going to spoil him at this rate. Don't think I don't know about those extra toys and sweets you've been slipping him..."

"Guilty as charged." Sesshoumaru leaned back on the grass and laughed – a good, hearty one that sent his stomach curling afterwards. When was the last time he laughed that hard? Sitting up, he caught her offered arm and pulled himself to his feet.

It was all this woman's doing.

"Nakamura-san?" When she tilted her head up, he took the chance to kiss her. A soft fleeting kiss; a reminder for more to come. "So is this like a date?"

"You wish!" Hands covered her mouth as she brisk walked all the way to the convenience store, leaving him to his chuckles.

Sesshoumaru didn't think it was possible, but maybe, just maybe this move to Inuyama was meant to be; an unexpected stroke of fate.

/ / / / /

A/N: Aww all the scenes with Hiro-chan and the two adults was so kawaii! I kept smiling to myself silly imagining all their faces. Did you? Man I'm full of warm fuzzy feelings now.


	3. The Runaway

Characters

Rin Nakamura + Hiroki Nakamura

Sesshomaru/ Inuyasha Oshiro

[Sanzen-san =Mr 3000 is Rin's nickname for Sess]

Kagome Suzuki

Sango/Kohaku Yamamoto

Kagura Kazeko

Naraku Kita

Miroku Ashikaga

A/N: rating of M for lemons.

MAY

RIN

Three plates of Omurice later, Rin sat back on her sofa watching her son and his new best friend hands deep in soap suds. Even though he was standing on a stool, Hiroki was still an entire head shorter than Sanzen-san. He probably wouldn't grow to be as tall as the Sensei but judging from the intense discussions they were having, Rin had a feeling that her son wouldn't mind.

Wait. What was she thinking? Talking about the future? She shouldn't be encouraging Hiro-chan to get too close to the doctor. It would only end in heartbreak.

"Okaa-san, Kaa-san!" A happy bouncing boy crashed into the cushions next to her. "Did you know, did you know that Sensei is a kendo master? Can he teach me please? Pretty please?"

Rin looked up at their guest who came walking in with a wash cloth in his hand. Of course he had to be a kendo master. It wouldn't surprise her to know he excelled in every aspect of his life. That only proved how different their worlds were.

"You're still too young Hiro-chan. Plus, kendo is not just something you learn for fun."

"I don't mind teaching him," offered Sanzen-san taking a seat next to the boy. "I'm sure Hiroki-chan understands that kendo is used for self defence, not for fun. Right?"

At her son's determined nod, Rin knew she had been outnumbered. Since when had those two started ganging up on her like this? Unbelievable!

"Why don't Okaa-san and I demonstrate to you some moves? You'll understand better." He caught her eyes over the grinning boy. "What say you, Nakamura-san? Have any bamboo sticks or something lying around?"

"I will do not such thing," said Rin, arms over her chest.

"Come on Okaa-san! It is a special day after all," urged Hiroki -that traitor! "If not, maybe Sensei can demonstrate with me?"

"Absolutely not!" If he wanted a sparring partner then bring it on. "As it happens we have bokkens on display in the reading room."

Surprise was clearly etched on his face but she could tell he had thought them as decorations. Little did he know she used to take part in her school's interhigh championships back in her days.

"So Hiroki-chan, let's role play that Okaa-san is about to attack me. I'll hold my bokken like this-" Sanzen-san held up the wooden sword at an angle; his back to Rin. " Okay Nakamura-san, attack at will."

For her first hit, she allowed him to disarm her, twirling her petite body around until she was struck down on the ground.

Meh. That was just the warm up.

When he asked her to do so again, Rin was aware of the careless way he left his left side open – thinking she was a novice- and rammed her bokken straight up at an angle towards his underarms.

Her precise strike should have disabled him slightly but the surprise on his face made up for it. Realising he was up against an equal partner, Rin watched him change his stance; his eyes focused as he tried anticipating her attack.

At the clash of their swords, Hiroki cheered them on, hopping up and down but unable to pick a side. Not like Rin would lose to this annoying man!

But despite that, his strength and prowess was no match for hers. Rin soon found herself not only with her bokken thrown halfway across the room, but also pinned down underneath the agonising weight of a full grown male.

"Hiroki-chan, close your eyes," he whispered, mere inches from her face.

"But I want to watch you do kendo!" complained her son.

To that, Sanzen-san laughed, "I'm going to kiss your Okaa-san now." That obviously did the trick for Hiroki's went 'eww' and buried his face in the pile of cushions next to him.

Rin didn't even get a chance to say no for his lips came down swiftly on hers, robbing her of breath as he toyed and teased her lips with his kiss.

"Do you think it's time to put Hiroki to sleep?" he murmured against her lips, those eyes looking down at her with clear intents to finish off what they had started.

Like a pair of well oiled gears, the two adults went about preparing the six year old for bed. Rin forcing get him into the tub and then into his pajamas while Sanzen-san made the milk and read him his stories. By 8pm, the boy was tucked in bed hugging his pillows.

"Shower first or not?"

Sensei's answer was to scoop her up and carry her into her room; their hands desperately undressing each other. Pulling out the futon, they made it to the bed just in time for they were practically naked and hungry for each other.

"Sensei..." Rin bit into her wrist as the man started licking her nipples, twirling them round with his tongue. As much as she wanted to, Rin had to keep her voice down since Hiro-chan was a light sleeper.

But as that very tongue licked a trail down her body, Rin wondered how long it was before her moans escaped her lips, especially now that he was rubbing his length against her inner thigh so deliciously...

BOOM!

A scream and a flurry of footsteps later, her son's cries were difficult to ignore outside her door. "Kaa-san , Kaa-san Hiro-chan is scared of thunder!"

Looking up into the agony filled expression of her almost-lover, Rin scrambled to her feet, pulling on a robe before she opened the door.

"Can... can Hiro-chan sleep with you?" Rin lifted her son into her arms and shook her head. "Let's go back to your room okay? Okaa-san will keep you company until the storm passes."

By her calculations, it lasted nearly all night. Such that when she finally dragged herself back to her room, Sanzen-san was no longer there. In his place was a small note on her pillow:

 _We'll work it out somehow. See you next Monday!_

/ / /

The next day however, Rin was surprised to receive a phone call from the clinic. At the deep baritone of his voice, she felt her cheeks flush in remembrance of their interrupted passions the previous night.

"Ohayo Nakamura-san, how's Hiro-chan?"

"I'm so sorry about last night." Rin didn't know which was worst. The fact that he was so understanding or that he didn't blame her for choosing Hiroki over him.

"Don't worry about it. I knew you'd be fretting about it that's why I called." She heard the opening of his door and the sound of crisp heels clicking in. "Hai Kazeko-Sensei, I'm coming." At the sound of the doors closing, he then resumed talking to her. "Nakamura-san, I'm heading off to Tokyo for an emergency operation now. I just wanted to tell you that in case you thought it's your fault if I don't come in on Monday."

Rin just gaped stupidly at the receiver. "Ah, ano... thank you for telling me Sensei. I wish you a safe trip then."

As it turned out, she wouldn't hear from him again until the rainy seasons of June started, nearly two weeks later...

/ / /

MAY

SESSHOUMARU

Sesshoumaru had planned for a quiet Friday, even contemplating to stop by the candy shop on his way back to apologise for leaving so abruptly the night before.

That was before his nurse aid Yamamoto-san came rushing in, telling him that one of the obstetrics patient just went into a complicated labour and that his new colleague Kazeko-Sensei needed him to do an emergency lung bypass as the baby was likely to be born with a respiratory failure.

"How did she not detect this earlier?" Even as he grumbled, Sesshoumaru was gathering all his essentials into his overnight bag. He always had one for emergencies like this. "Is the helicopter service on its way?"

He wasn't surprised when Yamamoto-san informed him that the emergency helicopter was en route from Tokyo University Hospital, with the operation theatre ready for scrubbing in an hour. That should give him enough time to whizz through the patient's file and anticipate the likely condition he would expect the newborn to be in.

Though he had never worked with Kazeko-Sensei before, he'd heard quite a bit from Kagome who was consulting her at the Inuyama medical centre before she transferred to his clinic. For a small time gynae to be able to book an operating theatre at the national hospital on such short notice, she must have some powerful connections.

Not wanting to waste time, he scanned the report as he dialled Nakamura-san's landline. Halfway through their conversation, Kazeko-Sensei came in. "Oshiro-Sensei, we need to go."

Saying his goodbyes to Nakamura-san, Sesshoumaru boarded the helicopter.

Tokyo University Hospital was just as he recalled it to be. Though he missed working there, Sesshoumaru knew his time in the big league was on a hold. Until he had a better idea of Chichi-ue's plans, Oshiro medical centre would be his current home.

After an emergency c-section was performed on the mother, Sesshoumaru turned all his attention to the barely breathing baby on his operating table. As explained to him on the helicopter, Kazeko-Sensei had not suspected any abnormalities as the baby's heart beat was strong and oxygen levels in the mother's blood was optimal. It was only during the ultrasound that morning when she noticed the defect and despite being only 34 weeks old, she had called for an immediate delivery.

It was risky which made it even more important for him to try and save this baby. This bypass would only be a temporary solution, with mother and baby likely needing to stay in the hospital for further surgeries to correct the lung failure.

It was only five hours later when he emerged from the theatre, having successfully placed the child on external corporeal support. Heading towards the staff area, Sesshoumaru slumped down on the cushions, tilting his head backwards on the headrest.

"Good work there Sesshoumaru."

He really didn't want to open his eyes but that voice was too familiar for him to ignore. Cracking one eyelid open, he caught the head of surgery looming down before him. Jerking suddenly to life, Sesshoumaru got to his feet and gave a polite bow. "Kita-Sensei!"

"Didn't think I'd see you here again. How's that tyrant of your father treating you?" His superior meant that in the most polite of manner, having been contemporaries with his father at this particular hospital during their younger days. It was a known fact that his father had turned down the position as Head of surgery before choosing to move to Inuyama.

"I didn't think we'd get an OR at such short notice. Usually my father would go to Nagoya hospital for such emergencies."

"Ah, Kazeko-Sensei pulled in a favour. She's used up her last one." At his curious stare, the Head Surgeon laughed. " No need to look so scandalised Sesshoumaru-kun! Kagura is my niece!"

Ah, that explained it. "I'm surprised she chose not to pursue her career here. She's good."

To that, the older surgeon simply smiled. "I believe that's her choice. It's not easy working in the shadow of someone. I'm sure you of all people would understand that." With that, he left Sesshoumaru to his own thoughts and the impending slumber consuming the worn out Sensei.

/ / / /

Despite informing the mother that she needed to get a paediatrician from the university hospital, she insisted on Sesshoumaru; willing even to pay whatever miscellaneous costs of taking him away from the clinic back in Inuyama.

"Gomen ne Oshiro-Sensei. She's also asking me to stay here since she's still under observation." Sesshoumaru looked up at his co-worker's bloodshot eyes. "I'll catch up with you later? I'm heading back to the hotel."

"Get some rest Kazeko-Sensei. We might not be at Oshiro Medical now but I'm still your boss. Don't neglect your health."

For a moment, the raven haired doctor blinked, as though surprised to hear his concern. But as she bowed a thank you, Sesshoumaru caught the slight blush on her cheek.

"Do you want to get dinner together? The canteen food isn't great but it'd do you some good," offered Sesshoumaru just as she turned to leave.

"Let's do that. Catch you later!"

After she was gone, Sesshoumaru dug out his phone and pressed the speed dial. It seemed, he wouldn't be seeing his sweetheart for a little bit longer.

"Moshi moshi? Nakamura-san?" The nasal tone on the other end didn't bode good news for him. "Down with a cold? I'm sorry. What about Hiroki-chan?" He hated that he was too far away to see her. "I just wanted to let you know that I'll be in Tokyo for a while more."

"It's work. Please don't apologise. How are you?" Her gentle voice made his heart ache slightly.

"I miss you -your sweets!" Was he in high school or what? Blurting something stupid like that!

"So desu ne? Well, shall I make some nerikiri when you're back?" Sesshoumaru was nodding wordlessly on the other side of the line. He only wished he could put himself through the line and kiss her.

"Nakamura-san?" If you miss me. "If you need anything please call me. Anytime. I'll pick it up or call you back as soon as I can."

He didn't need to see her to know she was blushing. And the call ended on that note.

Sesshoumaru didn't get a chance to speak to her anymore after that but his eyes were constantly on his phone for the whole week; so much so that his co-worker had to confiscate it from him just so he would look at her when she spoke.

"Kazeko-Sensei! Give that back this instant!"

"Didn't I say to drop the formalities? We're in the hotel restaurant for goodness sake Sesshoumaru. Relax a little. The surgeries are now complete and we're going home tomorrow."

He was looking forward to that so desperately. "Forgive me. It's hard to take myself off work mode sometimes."

In the few weeks that he spent in Tokyo with his co-worker, Sesshoumaru had learnt more about the head surgeon's niece and why she had chosen to stay a local doctor despite being trained overseas.

"Kagura-san, I think next time we should contact Nagoya hospital first. I know it's state of the art here but we cannot assume all our patients can afford the fees like the Tanakas."

"Hai, hai. I get it Sensei." Kagura rolled her eyes at his nagging. "I apologise for not consulting you first. But it won't happen again."

Three hours and two bottles of wine later, Sesshoumaru had a feeling that the prolonged dinner with his co-worker was a mistake. Not only was Kagura leaning heavily against him, her hands were also roaming all over his chest; her lips kissing his jawline.

"Where's your room key card Kagura-san?" Sesshoumaru was reduced to digging into a lady's purse, while fending off being harassed by said woman. To an outsider, it did look like he was trying to get lucky. "Damn it!"

Kagura had completely lost consciousness and apart from leaving her to sleep outside her door, Sesshoumaru had no other choice but to haul her to his room instead. His uncooperative colleague murmured something about sleeping together -like hell he would- before drifting off into dream land.

Sesshoumaru went as far as dumping her on the bed and covering her with a blanket but anymore, he couldn't. Taking the spare pillow, he tried to get as comfortable on the sofa, waking up only hours later to the sound of running water in his shower.

Cursing the cramp in his neck, he sauntered into the bathroom, lamenting that he forgot to switch off the water when he came face to face with Kagura, naked and screaming in the shower.

"Oh my god! This is not what it looks like!" he groaned, turning around to run back into the room. When she emerged a while later, Sesshoumaru was ready with an explanation but Kagura it seemed wasn't interested.

"Well, let's take last night as a freebie shall we? Doesn't hurt to scratch an itch once in awhile."

"Whoa. That's not what happened Kagura-san! You were drunk, I couldn't find your key -"

"And you took advantage of the situation." She shrugged, stepping closer towards him. With one finger on his chin, she tiptoed slightly to press a fleeting kiss on his lips. "I don't mind. You've always piqued my interest Sesshoumaru. My only regret is that I don't remember any of it."

Slapping a hand down his face, Sesshoumaru pushed her back. "Look. I'm not interested in you that way Kagura-san. Nothing happened last night and nothing will happen between us ever."

The humiliation creeping up her face was instantaneous. "If you insist." Kagura hurriedly picked up her clothes. "Thank you for taking care of me last night. I'll go now."

Sesshoumaru sighed. "I'll see you at the lobby after check out."

/ / / /

JUNE

RIN

Since she didn't hear from him, Rin figured that Sanzen-san was probably still in Tokyo. She contemplated calling him but each time she picked up the phone, Rin would be overwhelmed with embarrassment that she'd slam the receiver down.

"Okaa-san, I'm off to school!"

Rin looked up to see her son ready to walk for the first time to school on his own. "Remember, call me as soon as you reached -"

"Hai! And don't talk to strangers, look before I cross. I know Kaa-san."

"Okay." But she stood by the doorway, gripping the side viciously until she could no longer see her son in the distance. "Why do they grow up so fast..."

Still, her baby had accepted the little paper doll she had made as a charm against the constant rain plaguing the June season. The mother and son pair had been making the teru teru bozu dolls all weekend, hanging them at the shop front and giving them to the customers to pray for good weather.

"Maybe... I could drop some at the clinic?" She pondered to herself. Of course it had nothing to do with checking if the Sensei had returned. Nothing at all. Gathering a few dolls, Rin also scooped up some sweets and stuffed them in her bag.

As she hopped on her bicycle, Rin realised it was the first time she made the first move to seek him out. Usually it was Sanzen-san who barged into her life unannounced. She only hoped that it wouldn't be an inconvenience to him if she did.

A good twenty minutes later, Rin made it into the clinic and casually walked past the board displaying the names of the doctors consulting for the day.

.

.

.

Oshiro Sesshoumaru

Kazeko Kagura

The last named sounded familiar. Ah, it was the Sensei whom she heard him speak to over the phone once. A quick look at her qualifications, Rin noted that she was not in paediatrics. Well, all the more dolls for Sanzen-san then.

Stopping by the nurse's desk, Rin made sure it was alright for her to walk into the consulting room.

"Oh for you? I think Oshiro-Sensei will make an exception. He's got no patients yet, so go ahead," chirped the nurse.

Not thinking too much about the special treatment, Rin took a deep breath and knocked on the door before stepping in.

"Kagura-san, yamete kudasai!"

Though his face was completely blocked by the female figure on his lap, Rin knew without a doubt that it was him. Taking a step back, she closed the door as quietly as possible before making a run for it. But she hadn't been discreet enough. He'd seen her.

"Nakamura-san!" She could hear his footsteps chasing after her but it was to late. What was she going to hear? That he was sorry and that it would never happen again?

That's what they all said. Why had she been so stupid to believe in his sweet words? Were his kisses also a lie? Everything, all the times he spent with her and Hiro-chan... was it just an experiment?

Rin hated that she had allowed herself to be hurt by a man again. Cycling as fast as she could towards the elementary school, Rin did the first thing her instincts told her to.

/ / / /

SESSHOUMARU

The sweet shop remained closed everyday that week and despite his constant calls to the landline, no one picked the phone. Why hadn't he asked for her mobile number when he had the chance? Now he was left with no way to contact her, no way of even knowing where she was!

In desperation, Sesshoumaru had drooped by the school, hoping Kagome had some answers.

"Wait, you're saying Hiroki-chan is not here too?" Did she really pack up and leave for good? "I don't suppose you have his mother's contact details?"

Kagome gave him an apologetic look. "Onii-san, you know I'd help you. I really would. But our confidentiality works the same like the clinics. All I can say is that she took her son out for two weeks for family reasons."

That's a lie and they both knew it. "She saw your gynae trying to kiss me and bolted."

"What?!" Kagome looked more curious than appalled.

"I'd recommend you to find another doctor just in case. I can't have my subordinates making an unprofessional pass at me."

"You're going to fire her?"

"If I must. But right now, I want to find Nakamura-san."

/ / / /

RIN

Nagoya seemed like a lifetime ago as Rin and Hiroki stepped off the train. Six years ago she had left this city promising never to return and yet here she was, walking down the roads she knew by heart.

"Okaa-san... where are we going? I want to go home!" Rin simply carried her son and reassured him with kisses. She hadn't planned on letting the boy meet his father ever but she knew eventually he would want to know. What better time than now when she needed someone to take care of their son for a few days?

When the door swung open, Rin almost felt transported to her college days; the handsome fresh face of the man before her a constant companion during those four years.

"Rin? Wow... I can't believe it's you..."

"Kohaku..." They stood awkwardly in front of each other, unsure whether to kiss, hug or shake hands. Rin settled on neither. Bringing their son into view, she knelt beside the boy and introduced him. "This is Nakamura Hiroki."

The six year old looked cautiously at his mother than at the man before him but made no move to say hello. Even without saying a word, she knew that her son recognised his father -they were two peas in a pod; their faces an exact replica of each other's.

"Ano, well hello Hiroki-chan, I'm Yamamoto Kohaku. But I suppose... you can call me Oji-san?" Hiroki further buried his face in his mother's chest. "Why are you here Rin?"

"I need someone to look after him for a few days." The disgust on his face said it all. "Two days. I promise! There's something I really need to do."

"You're fucking crazy you know that? Don't just come here all of a sudden and dump this shit on me! I've got a life you know?"

"He's your son!" Rin heard herself shrieking. "I'm not asking you for money or anything. Just to watch him for 48hours!"

Kohaku groaned. "You willing to let him see the kind of life I live?" As if on cue, a sleepy feminine voice called out to him from inside. "New girl every night."

She couldn't believe how little Kohaku had changed. When she had gotten pregnant, he called her boring because she could no longer join him for his binge drinking. As she got heavier, he chastised her for being fat and slow and unable to satisfy him sexually. That was the start of the cheating cycle.

But Rin had forgiven him, thinking all would be back to normal once the baby was born. But it got worst.

Rin was often so tired staying up to tend to Hiroki that she didn't have the energy for the kind of activities Kohaku had in mind. Late night outings, clubbing and overnight parties were totally out for a new mother.

Those times she was left alone at home, hearing the sound of her husband tumbling into their room with his new girl for the night, made her wonder why he had married her in the first place. Was it because they were genuinely in love? Or was it just another curiosity of his?

"You're such a sad person Kohaku... I'm so sorry for you," whispered Rin as she scooped up her son in her arms. "It's was a mistake to come here. Goodbye."

Hiroki was silent as they boarded the bus heading towards a small town at the edge of the city; his small frame clinging to her almost desperately. Rin regretted ever bringing him to see Kohaku. There had been hurt and then fear in her son's eyes when he realised she was leaving him in the care of a stranger. He hadn't been wrong. Though they shared the same genes, Kohaku and Hiroki were mere strangers to each other.

When the bumpy bus ride came to an end after four hours, Rin alighted with her son snoozing over her shoulder. How long had it been since she last came here?

Ah that's right... After her parents death. Hiroki had been only two years old then so he couldn't possibly remember.

Walking up to the creaky old gate, Rin was filled with nostalgia of her younger days, having spent summer holidays here with her grandmother. She really had not wanted to inconvenience the old lady, seeing that she was nearly 90 but the scene with Kohaku earlier reminded her that as far as family went, Kaede Baasan was the only one she had left.

Knocking on the door, she waited patiently, hearing the creaks and thuds of her grandmother's walking stick against the wooden floor. "Who is it?"

"It's me... it's Rin."

The walking stick seemed to tap faster on the ground; the door opening a minute later to reveal a teary eyed old lady, her arms outstretched as she welcomed her only granddaughter home.

"Tadaima Baba."

Those same arms closed over her and her son. "Okaeri Rin-chan." When she pulled away, Rin allowed her grandmother to fuss over her, telling her the usual that she wasn't eating enough and that she should visit more.

"But I know why you're here Rin-chan. It's because of a man isn't it? And you're in love with him."

/ / / /

After countless hugs and reassuring kisses that she would come back for him, Rin boarded the morning bus back to Nagoya city; leaving her crying son in the arms of his great grandmother. The four hour journey was why Rin had wanted to leave Hiroki with his father, rather than inconvenience her frail grandmother. But fate it seemed demanded otherwise.

"There is no need to go to such extremes Rin-chan," her grandmother had advised before she left. "Running away won't solve anything ne?"

She wasn't running away...

And anyway, so what if she was? Best to have a fresh start in a completely new place.

That was the only thing on her mind when she stepped through the gates of her former university, walking down those well worn path towards the Literature department. It took her less than ten minutes to locate the professor she was looking for; his name and the lecture hall he was currently in etched clearly on the modules board.

Feeling nostalgic, she sat through his lecture on modern poetry, listening to his soft droning voice as he moved the class into a comparative analysis of the works by Yeats and Elliot. Only after the lecture was dismissed did Rin move forward, unsure if her professor would recognise her. After all, the young woman he had known all those years ago now was nothing like who she was now.

"Hi Professor," she stammered in English. The older man frowned as he looked up, peering into her face before bursting out in a shout.

"Bless me! Is it you Rin?"

"Hai, it's me Ashikaga-Sensei."

"Please, Ashikaga-Sensei is my father. Just call me Miroku as you used to. So! You finally came huh." He walked them both out and towards the cafeteria. "I must say you're just in time though. Applications are closing in a month and though you can always apply every year, I'd really rather you do your fellowship now."

"About that. You remember my son Hiroki?" At her professor's nod, Rin continued. "I have to bring him along. Will the scholarship stipend be enough?"

"Rin sweetie, you know it's going to be difficult. You might need to work a little to cover the extra expenses but I'd really rather you focus on your studies."

She had a feeling he'd say that. Nevertheless, she took the application forms from him and spent the rest of the day working on a proposed thesis that she would like to receive the scholarship for. Rin spent the entire night at the university library, rousing awake only the day after to continue writing. She had promised Hiro-chan that she'd be back in two days so regardless of whether she was ready or not, Rin would have to submit the forms by that day and head back to her family.

/ / / /

SESSHOUMARU

Sesshoumaru was lying on his bed, thinking about how best to make up to Nakamura-san when his phone rang. Knocking everything off his dresser, he dived for the vibrating mobile phone: unknown number.

But judging from the calling code, it was from the next prefecture of Gifu.

"Moshi moshi?"

The whispers on the other line was barely audible such that he had to press the receiver closer to his ears to hear the soft childish voice on the other line. "Sanzen-san Sensei? It's Hiro-chan."

"Oh my god Hiroki-chan.. where are you? I've been so worried! Are you ok? Is your mother with you?" The line crackled a little, signalling a low reception. "Hiroki-chan, where are you now? I'm coming."

"Sensei... please come and take us home! Okaa-san thinks Hiro-chan can't hear but she cries every night. I think she is sick Sensei but she won't go to the clinic!"

A wave of worry washed over him. "Do you know where you are Hiroki-chan?" The boy muttered something about taking a train to a big city and then a long bus ride but he had no idea where they were apart from the fact that they were staying with a Kaede Obaasan. That wasn't very helpful but Sesshoumaru couldn't possibly say that. The boy sounded desperate and frightened.

"Alright, listen to me Hiroki. Can you bring the phone to Kaede Obaasan? Is she sleeping too?"

A lot of shuffling and scratchy sounds of cloth over the receiver later, a clear gentle voice greeted him on the other line. "Are you the one who broke my Rin-chan's heart?"

Sesshoumaru hung his head, holding back his sigh. "That would be me. It was never my intentions to do so Obaasan."

"Save your breath for her. Not me. Now tell me, what is your name, what do you do, where do you live and have you been married before?" Obediently he answered her questions -though he really wanted her address! "Do you love children and do you want one of your own?"

Sesshoumaru felt like he was being interviewed for a job. "Hai. I work with children everyday. Its hard not to like them. And yes, someday I do hope to have a child of my own."

"Good, good. Now the most important question of all. How much do you want to be with my granddaughter?"

"I'd like to come over now and bring her and Hiroki home. Does that answer your question Obaasan?"

The old lady chuckled before rattling off the address.

/ / / /

Sesshoumaru contemplated waiting till morning to take a train or driving like a madman in the middle of the night to cross prefectures. Either way, he estimated that it would take him about the same time to arrive at her grandmother's doorstep.

But the thought of wasting time at home doing nothing didn't sit well with him. Grabbing his coat and car keys, he then dropped an email to his nurse aid and informed her of his absence for the next two days. That should give him enough time to drive to Gifu and back.

He set the GPS to the address that the Obaasan had given him and readied himself for the long drive. Once he had mother and son safely in his arms, Sesshoumaru planned on spoiling them. First, he needed to convince Nakamura-san that she had misunderstood what she had seen. Since that incident, he had clearly set boundaries with Kazeko-Sensei, even revoking her right to address him so informally by his first name. Colleagues or not, there were some lines no one was allowed to cross.

Still, he understood what Nakamura-san must have felt when she saw him that day. Though there was so much he didn't know about her, Sesshoumaru could guess that her last relationship probably ended in ways similar to the situation she had witnessed at the clinic.

Who was this man who made her so fearful of love that her first instinct was to run away and hide?

Sighing, Sesshoumaru continued his sleepless drive until daybreak, stopping only for coffee and breakfast before resuming the last two hours of his drive.

He made it just slightly before noon and caught the small Nakamura family about to eat lunch.

"Obaasan, who is it?" Ah that voice...

The old lady who opened the door looked up cautiously at him, her eyes studying him with great care. "You'll do. Come in."

Sesshoumaru barely made it to the kitchen when a tiny figure came running towards him; the boy leaping into his body and hanging like a monkey unwilling to let go. "Sensei, Sensei you came!"

From behind, he heard the slight scrape of a chair pushed back and angry footsteps coming towards them. "Hiroki Nakamura you come back this -"

Whatever she wanted to say was forgotten as her eyes landed on him, confusion -and was that relief? -visible on her face. "What... why are you here?"

"Rin-chan, I invited him. Now fetch another bowl. This fine gentleman is joining us for lunch." Her grandmother ushered her back into the kitchen and gestured for him to follow suit. "I hope you like nikujaga."

Lunch as it turned out was not as awkward as he feared, seeing that Hiroki monopolised the conversation. After the dishes were washed, Sesshoumaru waited until he was alone with Rin before speaking up. "Come home with me Nakamura-san."

The petite female refused to meet his gaze, her attention focused instead on wiping the table. "I'm sorry you had to come all this way for nothing."

That did it. Grabbing her by her arms, he shook her slightly. "Do you think I'm here for fun? As a joke? I like you a lot Nakamura-san and I hated how worried you left me. Not a call, not even a note. What do you take me for?" He hadn't meant to raise his voice but at her wide fearful eyes, Sesshoumaru regretted it instantly. "I'm sorry. Please Nakamura-san... how can I convince you that I'm serious about you? That there is no one else?"

He folded her into arms, holding her there until the stubborn woman relaxed; her eyes softening as they finally lifted to look at him. "Did you really come here to take us home?" At his resounding "Yes!", she blushed slightly. "Okay. Let's go home together then."

/ / / /

The exhaustion of their short runaway trip had taken a toll on Hiroki, sending the boy into instant slumber upon landing on his futon. As the adults crept away from his room and towards the living room, Sesshoumaru wasted no time claiming what he had missed in the last few weeks.

His kiss was possessive, not allowing the woman before him to escape from his touch. With her back pressed down on the sofa, Sesshoumaru brought her arms over her head and pinned them there; growling when she tried to struggle free.

"I'm not stopping this time, not even if a hurricane sweeps through the house," he whispered in lieu of a warning. "And you need to be punished. Leaving me like that. Unforgivable."

Tearing his lips away from hers, he kissed his way down her throat , opening the front buttons of her blouse as he went lower. At every few intervals, Sesshoumaru would bite and suck on her flesh, with every intention of marking her -just so she knew whom she belonged to.

Ridding her of her blouse, he then went to work on unhooking her bra; amused somewhat at the practicality of the plain cotton. Maybe he should take her lingerie shopping. After all, the thought of lace and satin over her ivory skin sounded very enticing indeed. With that in mind, he didn't bother being gentle with the garment, choosing to snap and toss the flimsy material away.

"Your nipples are already hard," he whispered, pinching both nubs between his forefinger and thumbs. "Is Nakamura-san horny?"

"I am not!" she protested, though her body arched upwards to feel more of his touch.

"Then you wouldn't mind if I do this." He took a nipple into his mouth, running his tongue around and around the hardened tip, hearing her muffled moan as she tried to hide her face behind a cushion. "Do you want to let it out? That sexy voice of yours?"

He turned his attention to her other nipple, lavishing it with the same attention as its twin. "Please... not here." She cupped his face and forced him to look up. "My room. Please."

Sesshoumaru didn't need to be told twice. Scooping her up, he carried her to the room, making sure to lock the door before settling onto the futon. Unbuttoning his own shirt, he then laid skin to skin on top of her, claiming her mouth once more with his.

Though his erection strained painfully against his trousers, Sesshoumaru forced himself to calm down just so he could ravage the dark haired beauty to his fill. She was clearly ready for him, judging from the slippery welcome greeting his fingers when he slipped them down her jeans front. Ignoring her pleas to stop, he inserted two fingers inside her and was surprised to feel her muscles contracting so readily. When was the last time she ever had sex?

Withdrawing his fingers, he ordered her to strip completely, doing the same for himself. As she stood naked and shy in front of him, Sesshoumaru couldn't believe how truly innocent she looked.

"Lie on the bed and spread your legs," he instructed, aware of her reddened cheeks as she did as she was told. "Can you touch yourself for me? Surely you do that once in awhile?"

Though she didn't answer, her fingers were tentative as she moved them lower; her face averted from the act as though embarrassed. "I... I don't know how," she finally succumbed.

On a normal woman, he might find it hard to believe but there was something on her face that told him that her sexual experience so far might have been one sided all this while. That was unacceptable.

"Rub your clit, yes good like that... how does it feel?" Sesshoumaru's eyes were fixated on her fingers; his own stroking his cock to painful hardness. At the sight of her tilting her head back in pleasure, he wondered who exactly he was trying to punish that night. "I can see you're all wet Nakamura-san. Can you put a finger inside for me please?"

She slid in two.

Sesshoumaru heard a sharp draw of breath. His. The scene before him was becoming too erotic; the flush on her face signalling her climax was near.

He pulled her fingers out forcefully, a second before that happened. The murderous look on her face was priceless, but that turned into another bout of embarrassment when he took her wet fingers into his lips and sucked; his eyes on hers the whole time.

"Didn't I say you were being punished?" he reminded her as he unrolled the condom he had in his wallet. "But don't worry, I'll reward you in a bit. You have been good girl so far."

Pushing her thighs apart, Sesshoumaru rubbed the engorged tip teasingly at the start of her slippery entrance.

"Sensei... please!" Her hips urged closer in silent demand, to which he obliged. Though he expected her to be tight, nothing prepared him for the vice like grip around his cock the moment he was fully sheathed inside her. Her warm wet walls made a lewd slushing sound as they contracted around him, forcing Sesshoumaru to still himself for fear of a premature ejaculation.

"Sensei..." Her eyes were wide and filled with lust as they looked into his. "You're so big... you fill me up. I can't..."

Moving his hips to pull out and plunge back in was the most gentlemanly thing to do. Her scream as she came was quickly muffled with a fist in her mouth; her body rocking uncontrollably as the wave of pleasure claimed her body. Sesshoumaru rode along with her climax, thrusting in and out in a bid to please her body even more.

Pushing her thighs upwards, he rested them on his shoulders as he filled her up even deeper than before; her screams now unbridled as she thrashed underneath him. Covering her mouth with his was the only way to keep her voice down, especially when he wasn't quite done with her just yet.

"Hold onto me," he ordered, waiting until she had wrapped her hands around his neck, before slowly getting to his feet. Her cry of surprise was just as erotic as the tightening clench of her muscles around his cock. "Just let yourself go... trust me," he murmured, wanting his lover to put all her faith in him; that he wouldn't let go, wouldn't let her fall, wouldn't ever hurt her.

"Sensei..." She was close, he could feel it.

"Cum with me." His own knees buckled slightly at the intensity of his climax, forcing him to slam her backwards against the wall in an effort to remain standing. Her nails were digging into his shoulders as she echoed his own release; his fingers gripping her thighs roughly as their bodies jerked against each other.

Much later when he had pulled himself out, the two laid down spent and satiated, side by side on the futon.

"Can I stay for the night?" he murmured into her hair, gaining a sleepy yes from her. With her head resting on his arm, Sesshoumaru let out a satisfied sigh. Now this was what he'd been waiting all his life for.

"Nakamura-san?" His hand snaked stealthily to cup her breasts. At her annoyed grumble, Sesshoumaru chuckled, turning his head to kiss her lips. "Does this mean we can do it again?"

As her eyes flared open, Sesshoumaru leaned his body against her, confirming the suspicions that were clear on her face. He couldn't help it! Nakamura-san was just too adorable.

"Dame! Go to sleep now Oshiro Sesshoumaru Sensei!"

Ah, she took out her big mummy guns.

"Hai, Hai," he laughed. "But promise you'll never run away again?"

He caught the slight blush on her cheeks before she turned her face into his chest. "I promise."

/ / / / /


	4. Will you go out with me?

Characters

Rin Nakamura + Hiroki Nakamura

Sesshomaru/ Inuyasha Oshiro

[Sanzen-san =Mr 3000 is Rin's nickname for Sess]

Kagome Suzuki

Sango/Kohaku Yamamoto

Kagura Kazeko

Naraku Kita

Miroku Ashikaga

JULY

SESSHOUMARU

July brought in the summer heat, along with a fresh delivery of ice-cream at Sesshoumaru's favourite sweets shop. Though it was nowhere along the way home, he found himself dropping by almost every day – be it to treat himself to something refreshing or really, just to charm the pants off its beautiful shopkeeper.

"Really Sensei, you might as well work part time here if you're going to annoy me everyday."

"You say that but you're secretly thrilled to get kisses," he teased back, watching as her face went completely red. Not giving her a chance to escape, he pulled her behind one of the tall shelves and planted one just to prove his point.

"Tadaima! Okaa-san!"

Cheeks still aflamed, she pushed lightly against him as she welcomed her son home. From where he stood he could see her fussing over the boy, listening to his happy chatter regaling his few hours at school.

Ah... if only he could be that lucky to have someone welcome him home and ask about his day.

"Sensei? I know you're here!" Tiny footsteps ran around the shop to hunt for him. "Ah! Found you!"

"Shh, don't tell your mother," grinned Sesshoumaru as he slipped a candy bar into Hiroki's hands. "Is her face still red?"

"Uhuh. That usually means Sensei is here!"

"Say Hiroki-chan, tomorrow is a no-doctor day. Do you want to go to the beach?" Like a magic word, the boy instantly transformed into a rocket, bobbing up and down as he shouted 'Umi! Umi!' over and over.

His mother however wasn't too keen. "Ehhh... Umi? But it's too far! We'd have to pass through the city and it'll be packed – "

"Well can reach Utsumi beach in an hour if we drive really early," suggested Sesshoumaru. "All you need to do is prepare lunch and we're set."

"That's right Okaa-san. I'll even help you pack my swimming gear!"

Sesshoumaru watched mother and son banter for a few more rounds before she gave in, glaring accusingly at him. That, was his cue to leave before she permanently banned him from her shop. Promising to pick them up at seven the next morning, Sesshoumaru then headed home, somewhat excited to be spending the day at the beach. How long has it been since he even went to the sea?

The next day, Sesshoumaru was on the dot at 7pm, true to his word; hauling the towels, floats, picnic mat and food into his car boot. "Nakamura-san, are we preparing for a field trip? There's enough here to feed a village..."

"Hiro-chan, get in the car please sweetheart. Okaa-san forgot just one more thing." The moment her son was out of hearing range, she lunged herself at him, dropping her hands around his neck and catching him by surprise. "We're going to the beach!" As though that explained everything.

But in a way it did. Between running the shop and raising her kid, Sesshoumaru didn't think she had much time to indulge in leisure activities like going to the beach. So perhaps this was just as much a treat for her as it was for Hiroki.

"We're here!" exclaimed Sesshoumaru as his car turned past the train station and down towards the beach. "Wow, I can't believe it's crowded already."

The only good thing was that it wasn't school holidays yet or else they would never have found a nice shady spot that was close to the sea. Helping to set up the umbrellas, mats and picnic baskets, Sesshoumaru then eagerly waited for the other two to change into their swimming gear.

"I'm ready Sensei!" Hiroki was armed with a large buoy and two floats on each side of his arms.

"Shall we wait for your mother?" After all, that's why he wanted to take her to the beach right? Nothing like seeing a beautiful woman in a bikini to kick start the day.

"Oh Kaa-san can't swim. She usually just sits and reads." Sesshoumaru glanced across at the waving woman in question. This was pure evil. "It's just you and me Sensei!" The boy tugged at his boardshorts, before proclaiming that they ought to race to the water.

Not wanting to disappoint the boy, Sesshoumaru joined him; splashing about as they tried to out swim each other – Hiroki winning naturally with his superb floating talents.

As man and boy finally flopped down in exhaustion on the sand, Sesshoumaru realised that he had more fun with the boy than he expected. For a six year old, the boy was incredibly sharp and cared a lot about his mother. More so perhaps because it was only the two of them.

"Ne Sanzen-san Sensei... Hiro-chan loves Okaa-san very much." Those brown doe eyes looked up at him; a boy gauging his opponent. "Does Sensei love Okaa-san like Hiro-chan does?"

For the first time, Sesshoumaru felt his face turning red. How was he to answer that? Being attracted was one, but to use the 'L' word so freely... he didn't think it was right – at least not yet.

"I think Hiroki-chan loves Okaa-san the most, more than anyone else in this world and certainly more than me," said Sesshoumaru, hoping the answer would appease the child. Hiroki however didn't look too impressed with the reply.

"Well... Hiro-chan doesn't want anyone else to love Okaa-san..." he tapped his forefingers to each other before turning his head to cup Sesshoumaru's ear and whispers, "But if it's Sensei, Hiro-chan is happy."

The little confession got Sesshoumaru brimming with happiness. Grabbing the boy, he flipped him on his back and began to tickle his tummy, sending Hiroki into an uncontrollable fit of giggles.

/ / / /

RIN

It had taken an incredible amount of trust to simply leave Hiroki in the hands of another man – one who was not quite a stranger, yet not quite a friend. Do you consider your customer a friend?

Rin wasn't sure. In fact, she didn't even know what their status was at the moment. Since that one time he ended up in her bed, Rin hadn't allowed a repeat of such an explosive passion. It wasn't that she didn't like it – for kamisama, it was out of this world – but she was too afraid of drowning in it, in him. Just being in his presence set her body on flames. She had always thought sex was about satisfying the man, but Sensei had taught her that it was all about enjoying each other's bodies...

Her face went beetroot at the memory, forcing her to hide in shame behind her novel.

"I hope we didn't catch you in the middle of a love scene."

At that voice, Rin immediately snapped her book shut and laughed nervously as she welcomed Hiroki and the Sensei back from their swim. "Hungry?"

"Starving!" Hiroki bit enthusiastically into his sandwich. As her son told her all about the fun she'd miss, Rin couldn't help but trail her eyes over the taut muscles of the man sprawled casually before her. Where did the Sensei ever find the time to work out? Those pecs were too well defined simply by sitting at his desk all day.

"I hear staring is rude." Those amber eyes locked with hers. "But I'm also generous. You can touch if you have the right currency."

That pervert! Thankfully Hiroki was too young to understand innuendos or else there would be so much hell to pay!

"Who is looking at what Sensei?" She tried her best to sound nonchalant but at the knowing smile on his face, she knew she was bested. "Better cover yourself Sensei. You're attracting too much attention this way."

He might have been oblivious but Rin had caught a few women checking him out as they passed; whispering and giggling to themselves. Naturally they would assumed he was just a friend seeing he wore no wedding band. Furthermore, it was obvious from their colouring that Hiroki wasn't his son.

"Is Nakamura-san jealous?" Why did he seem more thrilled than worried? "Oh my you really are! Is it because you want to be the only one to stare at my – "

"Ah Sensei! I'm off to get some drinks!" she interrupted, jumping to her feet and dashing away before he had a chance to finish his sentence. Sure that she had put enough distance between them, Rin then ordered a mojito from the beach bar.

"Hi there. What's a pretty little thing like you doing here alone?" Rin winced at the poor Japanese accent but turned anyway to face the blonde staring at her.

"I'm just waiting for my drink," she replied in English.

"Oh? Then let me buy ya another one. Not everyday do I get to meet a fine woman who knows how to speak my language!" The man raised his hand to order another beer. "So, what do I gotta do to getcha number?"

Rin pushed away the beer back towards him with a polite refusal. Come on mojito... what's taking the barman so long?

"Hey, I'm talking to you." Rin felt her wrist being grabbed and pulled towards the man; those blue eyes of his filled with malintent.

"Sumimasen! Please, I have to go!" she reverted back to Japanese, snatching her hand back and turning to leave. Not looking where she was looking, she crashed head on into the familiar body of her saviour. "Sesshoumaru!"

If he was surprised at being called by his first name, he made no show of it. Instead he played along, drawing her into his side. "Ah... there you are Rin. Did you get the drinks?" When she shook her head mutedly, he walked them towards the bar, using his body as a shield. Placing an order for two more drinks, he then turned and eyed the blonde man.

"Geez it was just a drink ok? Man these Japanese women and their tsundere shit."

"I believe my wife was being very clear when she said no." If Rin hadn't heard it herself, she wouldn't, have believed it. Not that he had referred her as his wife, but that perfect American English!

"Hey chill out man. Swear I didn't touch her or anythin."

Sensei slapped some notes onto the counter and took their drinks before walking out with Rin in tow. "Are you alright?" He finally asked when they had walked a distance away. "Did he hurt you?"

Rin could only shake her head slowly, still shocked at what just happened. "Gomen ne..."

"Why are you apologising? It was clearly not your fault..." Hands clasping tight over hers, he guided her back to their spot where Hiroki was building sandcastles.

"Okaa-san?" Her son knew straight away something was wrong. Dropping his spade and bucket, he ran towards her and hugged her knees tight. " Hiro-chan has played enough! We can go home now."

Rin looked down lovingly at the boy. She could see the slight hint of worry in his eyes thinking he had caused her to be upset.

"I'm perfectly fine sweetheart. And I think we can play a little more. Sensei, would you like to help build a sandcastle too?"

"Only if Okaa-san feels it's okay." When she nodded, the man tightened his grip on her hand before letting go. The three of them then kneeled on the sand and worked their way to a masterpiece.

Much later in the evening when all was packed and everyone had changed out of their wet suits, Rin found herself walking down the beach at sunset; hand in hand with the most dangerously handsome man she had ever met. Hiroki had run off ahead, chasing after imaginary sea monsters and leaving the adults to themselves.

"You studied medicine in the US? Is that why you only read English books?"

"Yes. Harvard." She thought so. That Boston accent was too hard to miss. Rin only knew because she had professors from the US who made it clear that they weren't dumbing down their speech just so their students could understand.

"Ano... about earlier – "

"Forget it." He pointed instead to her bag. "You do however have an annoying habit of not picking up your phone."

Rin blabbered apologetically but Sanzen-san didn't look an ounce annoyed as he said he was. Excusing herself, Rin picked up the call and froze instantly.

This voice...

"Hey. It's me. Kohaku." The pause felt like aeons; Rin frozen on the spot as her body trembled. Next to her, Sanzen-san was quiet but he gave her a small smile before running off after Hiroki to give her, her privacy.

"What do you want?" Her voice sounded harsh even to her own ears.

"Heh. Well, I suppose I deserved that. Look... I'm really felt bad about how we parted the last time. I was just shocked to be honest. I mean... Hiro-chan looks so much like me! How could I have missed out on all those years of his life?"

Her knuckles had turned white from clenching her phone too hard. "Don't you think it's a little too late now?"

The sigh on the other line was long drawn and resigned. It was as though he knew she would say that. "I just want to see my son again. He _is_ my son isn't he?"

How dare he! After all these time; his lack of interest in the child or even fighting for custody and he wants to see Hiroki? "You've revoked all access to him, don't you remember?" Rin did. Kohaku had expressed himself loud and clear to the judge that being saddled with a baby was not in line with his lifestyle.

"Damn it Rin. We were 20 then! I had places to go, things I want to do. But that's all different now. If you hadn't want me back in his life, then you shouldn't have come to see me in the first place. So this is on you Rin."

She couldn't believe what she just heard. How did he always twist the situation so effortlessly like that? "Let me think about it," was all she could muster at that moment. Since he didn't have joint custody of the child, any visits would have to be supervised, and since Rin didn't feel like spending an extra minute with him…

"You always are compliant Rin. That's what I liked about you –" A distant female laugh at the background interrupted him. All the better. Rin was done talking.

Switching off her phone, she tried to wipe off whatever horrors were on her face and skipped to join Sanzen-san and her son.

/ / / / /

SESSHOUMARU

Two weeks had passed since their outing to the beach and all these time, Nakamura-san had been withdrawn to a point that Sesshoumaru was sure she was avoiding him. He hadn't been concerned at first; giving her space for he knew whom she was speaking to on the phone the other day. Her face had gone sheet white and though she tried to hide it, he could tell from the small trembles in her hands and her dilated pupils that she was in a state of shock.

Still, he hadn't asked her about it.

But when her behaviour started changing towards him, that's when Sesshoumaru decided enough was enough. At five when his afternoon shift ended, Sesshoumaru made his way to her shop; hoping to corner her into talking to him –screaming or crying –as long as it elicited a response.

She was pulling down the shutters, leaving it closed halfway as she tidied the shop and waited for the last of her customers to leave.

"I'm sorry, the shop is closed. Hope to see you – Sensei!"

"Nakamura-san. We need to talk." Like a mouse sensing danger, she retreated behind her counter, moving further and further away from him. "Have I done something to displease you?"

"We'll talk tomorrow. I have to close the shop now." Her backward movement was sending her towards the corner of the room – a perfect spot. When her back touched the walls, he could see the slight panic in her eyes at the realisation that she had trapped herself. "Please. Leave now."

"Not until we're done talking." He closed the gap between them, making sure she had no avenues of escape by placing his hands on the wall on each side of her head. "You should stop running away Nakamura-san. Especially from me."

Something flashed across her eyes – Anger? Fear? He couldn't tell. But damn him if he wasn't going to coax it out of her. Angling his head down, he caught her lips between his; his kiss gentle and almost fleeting.

"Why are you here Sensei…" she finally whispered when he pulled away. "Why do you keep coming into my life like this?"

His answer was to kiss her again, this time a little more forcefully; his tongue darting inside her mouth to tangle with hers. How could she ask that of him? Couldn't she tell how much he wanted her?

"I… I can't," she breathed out, placing her palms against his chest. "Stop this."

It took every ounce of his resolve to pull away from her. "Do you want me to walk away right now? Be honest with yourself Nakamura-san. If you tell me to go, I promise I will never come back."

 _Say no…say no…_

All she offered him was her silence; those brown eyes looking right into his. Sesshoumaru didn't know what he would do if she told him to back away. Could he even walk away from her? For the first time in his life, he wanted to pursue something of his own volition – not to follow his father's footsteps or to obey his mother's wishes. And though he knew both would have their reservations regarding her social status, Sesshoumaru was willing to look past that for a chance at redeeming some happiness for himself.

"What's your decision?"

She looked down to her feet. "I am not who you think I am," she finally whispered, resting her head on his chest. "I'm not this good, not this kind… I've done so many stupid and crazy things in the past. I make too many mistakes." The soft sobs that came after were like tiny hiccups as she buried her face further into his shirt. "I don't want to end up hurting you."

Closing his arms around her, Sesshoumaru held her gently as she wept. He didn't know how long they stood like that but when she finally stopped, he could tell that she was embarrassed to have let herself be this vulnerable in front of him.

"Look at me." He tilted her chin upwards. "I don't care about your past. We all make mistakes and have regrets. But right now, all I care about is our future."

"Don't say such things lightly!" Her eyes had gone watery once more. "I'm divorced and I have a six year old son. Don't burden yourself with this. What do you think your family will say if they find out?"

Sesshoumaru couldn't help himself. She was just too cute – even in this small rare outburst of hers. "It's perfect." And he couldn't be more truthful. "So, what say you Nakamura-san? Will you go out with me?"

/ / / /

A/N: I had intended for it to be longer but I thought it would be best to leave it like this! But that means the next chapter will cover a span of 3 months, so more lemony fluffy feel-good moments to look forward to.

For those of you who always review, thank you so much for your kind comments and encouragement! (I received some weird reviews about how immoral sess-rin pairings are but I really think the story makes the meaning of any relationship.) If you've enjoyed reading so far, do drop this poor insecure author some kind/constructive reviews! Goes a long way to keep the spirit of writing alive!

P. S: I'll finish this story first before I continue on the zodiac. I'm so stuck with that!


	5. Learning to trust

A/N: Just to refresh, in the last chapter, Sesshoumaru asked Rin if she would go out with him (i.e. be his lover)

/

Characters

Rin Nakamura + Hiroki Nakamura

Sesshomaru/ Inuyasha Oshiro

[Sanzen-san =Mr 3000 is Rin's nickname for Sess]

Kagome Suzuki

Sango/Kohaku Yamamoto

Kagura Kazeko

Naraku Kita

Miroku Ashikaga

AUGUST

RIN

Rin still couldn't believe she said yes.

"Hokkaido! We're going to Hokkaido!" chanted Hiroki happily as he thrashed about the house looking for all his favourite toys accompanying them on this trip. As soon as the school holidays started, Sanzen-san had sprung the idea on them, luring her son with the promise of his first plane ride. Real sneaky that Sensei.

Oh, she said yes for this trip too.

Though Rin had been to Hokkaido many times during winter when she was younger, the idea of visiting during summer seemed just as appealing – if not more, considering that she was now going as a… family – well sort of.

The thought of it made her blush.

Hiroki of course had been thrilled. Finally someone who could do crazy manly things with him, he had said.

"Are you sure you want to bring Mr Dragon? I'm not sure if Sanzen-san Sensei would take you to do tough macho things if you bring him…" Rin pondered over the five stuffed animals in front of her. "Mr Usagi might be better… or I don't know… this cute little Kitsune?"

"But Okaa-san! Those are so girly! A dragon's tough and cool, like Sensei! Do you think Sensei sleeps with a doudou too?"

Well wouldn't that be interesting to find out? Imagine finding the Sensei clutching his comfort blanket or soft toy to sleep! Agreeing with her son's assessment, Rin took the Dragon and stuffed it into his luggage bag.

When the taxi came for them early the next morning, Rin almost regretted the huge suitcase she had brought along. But it was the only luggage she had -remnants of her college days- and when you're packing for a hyperactive six year old, it was always good to bring extra clothes.

"So are you ready for your first grown up flight?" Sanzen-san had easily gotten the boy's undivided attention; one hand griping his while the other reaching for hers. Rin, despite the mighty blush on her cheeks, allowed herself to link only their forefingers together. They were after all in public...

"Sensei, can I sit between you and Okaa-san?" Though he said that, her son was clutching the hem of her skirt tightly; his knuckles growing white. Now that was new. Hiroki usually preferred sitting by the window on the buses and trains but perhaps a plane was different?

A quick look up and she could tell that Sensei had planned to sit next to her but the smile he had for the child was kind and gentle. "Of course. We'll let Okaa-san sit inside ok? Everything will be fine. You'll see."

And hour and a half later however, Rin wondered if Sanzen-san Sensei wished to retract his words. Not only did Hiroki expunged every last drop of his breakfast; he also did so while burying his face in Sensei's shirt.

"I'm so sorry!" Rin apologised for the hundredth time. Once their luggage had been retrieved, she guiltily passed him a change of clothes for the boy. "And I'm really sorry for this too. But Hiroki's too old to follow me into the ladies."

"Well," he brought his lips close to her ear. "I'll just chalk this up in your debt to be paid tonight." Then he left chuckling with the boy in tow; Rin red from her neck up.

With the boys clean and fresh, the trio picked up their rental car and headed towards the morning markets. It was still too early to check into their ryokan and Sensei being the educationalist as he was felt it was essential for Hiroki to see what crabs look like. Kids nowadays eat too much processed foods, he had claimed.

Hiroki of course didn't just see crabs but a host of other firsts from giant octopuses to sea urchins and various shellfish. Rin had to run around after her son who was desperate to touch everything, including the crab pincers, much to his mother's horror. The shopkeeper however found Hiro-chan so adorable that he got him to pose with a giant king crab while he beamed as he took a photo.

"You two need to make him a brother or sister soon! Two good looking parents like you! Such a shame!"

Rin didn't think she could go any redder than she already was thanks partly to the sun. The shopkeeper's statement of course was fodder for her son's premature curiosity about where babies came from and if Sensei and Okaa-san could make one.

"You're the doctor, you can answer him," exclaimed an exasperated Rin. They had managed to sit themselves in a restaurant for lunch but Hiroki's barrage of questions would not stop. Bribing her son with the promise of ice cream after, she busied herself with the menu while Sanzen-san curled Hiroki next to him, whispering and giggling with the boy.

On hindsight, she wondered if it was really the best idea to give a six year old the scientific explanation to sexual reproduction. Rin might have gone with the stork coming to deliver newborns or baby seeds that grow in the garden – no. That sounded like a terrible idea.

But she couldn't help but look anxiously at the two and wonder what exactly was going on.

/ / / / /

SESSHOUMARU

The question had not surprised him. Children asked him this all the time especially when they came in with their pregnant mothers. That curiosity was a natural part of life and though Nakamura-san had conveniently passed the baton to him, he could tell she was scheming for the best way to explain it to the boy herself.

He didn't mind refreshing her memory of how it's done –

"Sensei, I believe this hot miso soup might spill on your lap in a minute." Her expression was so neutral as she picked up a squid with her chopsticks and placed it in his bowl. How she even knew what he was thinking about was beyond him. Sesshoumaru decided to attribute it to a mother's instincts.

"Hai, hai." Those instincts however might not be too kind too him if he pushed her buttons too much. Hiroki had whispered to him, secretly of course, that his mother was pretty scary when she got mad.

"So, is Sensei's explanation satisfactory?" She eyed him warily before turning her attention to her son. "You'll learn about it in school too sometime in grade 5 so there's no rush."

Sesshoumaru smile as the boy locked eyes with him. Indeed, that was exactly what he had said; promising to explain to the boy when they were truly alone next time. Having babies was a big responsibility especially for a man and if they were to speak about secret man to man stuff, Okaa-san had to be out of hearing range.

That of course was the magic word, for Hiroki went utterly silent, nodding his head obediently. For Sesshoumaru who was constantly surrounded by children, the idea of having one of his own was not his utmost priority. However, it didn't mean he was adverse to the idea...

"Why don't I explain it to you tonight and you can judge it for yourself? I'll make sure to cover all the bases with you."

And hour later, Sesshoumaru paid dearly for his second of mischief as he changed into his third outfit for the day. How that miso soup fell onto his lap he didn't know. But at least this time they could change in their rooms which meant that he could quietly lie down and contemplate the best way to get Nakamura-san into his bed.

He was still thinking about it when they met outside the public baths; mother and son wrapped in yukatas and ready to enjoy the onsen. Sesshoumaru's only regret was that the hotspings were divided by sexes so while he was happy to take the gleefully bare-skinnned Hiroki with him, he did want so desperately to see the boy's mother naked too.

"So is now a good time to tell me about babies?" The boy submerged himself till his nose as though unsure, his eyes looking away from Sesshoumaru.

"I suppose your mother told you to behave yourself and not ask silly questions?" When he nodded, Sesshoumaru laughed and pulled the boy closer to him. "It's fine. I did promise didn't I? So let's see. What do you know about where babies come from?"

Hiroki squirmed a little and blushed just as his mother would. "Ano... well, Okaa-san said that when two adults love each other very much and they kiss, sometimes they have a baby." He looked up shyly at Sesshoumaru as he tapped his forefingers together. "Eto... but Hiro-chan doesn't think Otou-san loved Okaa-san much..."

Something about the forlorn look on his face made Sesshoumaru's heart ache slightly. He knew he shouldn't pry and yet he couldn't help but want to know more about this man who put this harmless little boy through so much pain. "You want to talk about it?"

Nothing would stop him now for Hiroki started telling him about his first meeting with his father and how the man refused to take him, saying that the boy was a burden; how his mother had shouted and then his father shouted back.

"Wait, why did your mother need to leave you for a few days?"

"I don't know. But at Obaasan's house, she left me there too and went into the city alone." The boy hung his head dejectedly. "I know Okaa-san loves me... but if Otou-san didn't love her, why did they make me? He didn't love me too..."

Something snapped inside of him –a deep buried emotion coming to fore at the boy's words. Hadn't he felt this way as a young child when his father left to remarry? Though he hated the old man, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but admit that he made every effort to keep in touch and to always groom him, even from afar. But for Hiroki…

"Well you see Hiroki-chan, sometimes two people don't necessarily have to be in love to make a baby. And that is the responsibility of a man to make sure that doesn't happen." At the boy's perplexed face, Sesshoumaru took a deep breath. "You see, all women like your mother are born with tiny eggs inside of them –yes like a chicken –but they need a special seed to help make the egg grow into a baby. Want to guess where the seed comes from?"

Hiroki stuck out his tongue. "From a man?"

"That's right. And if you are not ready to make a baby with a woman, you must make sure that your seeds don't get mixed up with her eggs." When the boy asked how, Sesshoumaru tried not to wince. "Remember what your mother said about adults kissing and making a baby? Well sometimes they go beyond kissing and they end up sleeping together."

Hiroki's eyes widened as he clasp a hand over his mouth. "I slept with my girl classmates during nap time! Will I have a baby? But I don't even have a job!"

"No it's not like that!" Sesshoumaru held back his laughter. "You're still too young to make a baby. We'll have this talk again in another four to five years okay?"

"Okay…" Hiroki fiddled with his thumbs before dunking himself underwater again just below his eyes. For the next ten minutes, both man and boy relaxed in the onsen; both quiet and likely contemplating life. A while later when he saw that Hiroki's eyes were drooping slightly, he picked up their washcloths and shook the boy awake.

"We should get out soon. Staying in the hot water for too long will give you a headache." Sesshoumaru stood up and offered a hand to the boy. "I did promise your mother to return you in one piece."

"Sanzen-san Sensei?" Hiroki rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"Yes?" Sesshoumaru didn't know when he started responding to that name but from the endearing way Hiroki called out to him, he figured it had to be a nickname the boy shared with his mother. It was cute.

"If you make a baby with Okaa-san, can I call you Daddy? I don't like my real Otou-san very much…"

Now that stopped Sesshoumaru in his tracks. "Oh wow. Well, that's quite fast Hiroki-chan." Getting to his knees such that they were eye-level, Sesshoumaru smiled at the sad looking child. "But tell you what, if I ever do plan on doing that; you'll be the first to know. And you can choose to call me as you like… though Daddy sounds pretty cool."

Almost instantly, Hiroki's downturned face lit up; the boy closing his arms around Sesshoumaru's neck.

/ / / / /

RIN

She didn't know when was the last time she felt this relaxed. But seeing that it was the last day of their stay in Hokkaido, Rin wanted to enjoy herself to the fullest – especially since tonight would be the night of the O-bon festival. It must have been years since she last went to one.

"But it's nice to wear a yukata once in a while," she mused, looking at her reflection in the mirror. The orange and green material fitted her perfectly. "Hiro-chan, are you ready sweetheart?"

The boy came toddling in with his obi half done. She had just finished tying it when their doorbell rang. Somewhat excited to see the Sensei in traditional wear, Rin rushed to the door and allowed herself to feast on the beautiful male before her.

Though most men preferred darker colours, Sensei looked amazingly regal in the white yukata with sakura designs on the sleeves. He had even released the band usually holding his hair to allow the silvery blonde tresses to flow freely. Was it truly legal for a man to look this beautiful?

Rin almost felt a sense of pride walking alongside him; knowing that while he received a lot of attention from the crowd, his eyes were solely set on hers. And that was enough to send her blushing.

"Nakamura-san, you're already stealing my breath away with your beauty, so if you keep showing me that cute blushing face of yours, we might have to head back to the ryokan." His eyes were full of mischief as he rubbed hand gently around her waist. "Or, I can just have my fill now." The kiss on top of her head was gentle and almost comforting.

That didn't stop him from venturing lower though. Throughout the night, whenever Hiroki wasn't looking, he'd press a kiss on her temple, then her cheeks and finally...

"Okaa-san, Hiro-chan is going to buy candied apples!" Sensei shouted that he wanted one too and gave the boy a large note to spend. Rin was about to chide him for spoiling the kid when he covered her mouth with his; a finger held up to warn her to be quiet.

"You can't just go kissing me like that in public! What would people think?" He merely chuckled and stole another kiss before running off to join Hiroki. Rin however was filled with curious wonder at how such an esteemed and handsome man had ever taken interest in her. Plain, simple and boring were words used to describe her once upon a time – adjectives Rin was sure had not changed.

At first she had thought that this thing they had going on was a kind of experiment for him; to see how easy it would be to pull a local girl. The typical city boy traps naive country girl story. But if that was the case, he didn't need to put in this much effort with her son. In fact, Sanzen-san often looked like he enjoyed his time alone with the boy, whether or not she was there to see their interactions. And Hiroki...

Well, the boy was head over heels with the Sensei. Rin on the other hand wasn't sure if she echoed that sentiment.

When the boys returned, candied apples weren't the only thing they brought back. Sensei had a variety of fried skewers and Hiroki had his mouth full of cotton candy. For once she happily accepted whatever treats they passed to her, walking along the night market with them until they arrived at the festival centre. There, the trio stood alongside the crowd and watched as the streets came alive with the dancing and singing as a mark of respect to the spirits of those who have passed.

Rin chanted silently in her head, humming as she thought fondly of her parents; renewing her promise to always watch over their grandson for them.

Finally when the communal dancing came to an end, Rin quickly found them all a good spot by the hill to watch the firework display. The bright explosions were echoed by a running shriek of excitement by her six year old; his head lying on her thigh as his eyes took in the view above them.

Next to her, Sanzen-san too had his head angled up, a serene smile on his face. When his fingers crawled above the grass to link with hers, she laid her palm out flat and welcomed him.

"This is my first O-bon in a decade," he whispered, a while later when the fireworks died down. Rin wondered if it was because he saw much death back at the university hospital that to commemorate it seemed painful.

"For us too. Though we hang lanterns and celebrate it in our own way at home every year." Rin looked down at her snoozing child and smiled. "I chose not to give my parents a grave; we scattered their ashes to the wind. May they travel as they always wanted to when they were still, alive."

She didn't know why she told him that but she was glad she did. Weren't they slowly trying to break down barriers between them?

"Can I ask you something Nakamura-san?" Rin knew this was coming so she nodded, allowing him to continue. "Why did you leave Hiroki with your grandmother for a few days? I had thought you left town because… of me."

Rin knew he still hadn't forgotten the little misunderstanding she had when she saw that woman on his lap – who wouldn't? But this was different. "My professor had emailed me about a scholarship position he wanted me to apply for. Since I was in the city, I dropped by to speak to him about it."

"And you submitted the application," he concluded; his face a blank slate that was unreadable. "When's the result?"

She understood what he wanted from her but Rin couldn't commit to such a situation. To say that her life decisions would now include him was just moving their relationship along too fast. "It doesn't matter. I won't get it." Sensei looked like he was about to push but Rin shook her head. She wasn't lying.

The application she submitted had been incomplete – missing an entire chunk detailing her teaching capabilities. Rin was aware that the scholarship came with the responsibility of teaching an undergrad module but that would leave her with barely enough time to spend with her son.

"Alright, I'll let that to rest for now. But in return, would you tell me about Hiroki's father?"

She should refuse. After all, tonight was a happy occasion and the three of them had had such an enjoyable time together that to speak of an evil past would just spoil it all.

Sensing her hesitance, Sanzen-san pulled her closer so she could lean against his shoulder. "I'll tell you anything you want about me afterwards."

With a sigh, Rin relented. "Kohaku and I were college sweethearts. We met at induction and instantly hit off and six months later, we got married in secret. Maybe we were young or maybe we were just stupid but at the end of my first year, I got pregnant. Kohaku hadn't wanted the child then but I didn't have the heart to go through with an abortion.

So I kept it from him for as long as I could. Five months… six months… I got slower, my body was constantly sweating and if I could, I'd rather sit down than run around from party to party like I used to. He noticed this of course and called me fat and lazy – that was before he found out I had kept the child."

You'd think that would have made Kohaku change his tune, but in reality, the verbal abuse only continued.

"Hiroki was born when we were both 20; neither of us ready to be parents. But one look at his chubby little cheeks and those beautiful brown eyes of his and I had fallen in love. I named him Hiroki after my grandfather and took him everywhere – yes, even to school. All my classmates and even my professors couldn't believe what a good baby he was. He never cried, never even created a fuss when the people around him got too noisy. He'd sleep or just play with his toys quietly by my side. In fact, I think that's the only reason why my professors allowed me to bring him to class."

"But you were still married right? Did your husb –I mean Kohaku help at all?"

Rin couldn't help but laugh. Kohaku, help? "He never once looked at the baby. Every time he came home and saw me with Hiroki, he'd storm out and come home at the wee hours with a new girl every night." Rin caught the dark look in his eyes but forced herself to continue. After all, these happened in the past. "I don't blame him you know. He still wanted to play and explore the world. Hiroki and I were just in the way."

"That didn't excuse him from treating you like that. Were you not also allowed to have a life? What about your dreams, your adventures? He couldn't have just tossed them aside for his!"

Once upon a time, Rin had thought so too but looking back, these six years had been an incredible adventure too and she explored the world in her own way, through Hiroki's eyes. "I suppose that's why we got a divorce not long after. And once I graduated, I returned home to Inuyama."

When he tilted her face towards his, Rin calmly accepted the gentle kiss; lingering only to allow him to gaze down at her. "I wish sometimes that I had met you earlier. But then again, if I did I wouldn't have had the chance to fall in love with the two of you."

It took every fibre in her body not to respond to his open declaration. Instead, she breathed out slowly and leaned into his warmth; her heart pounding crazily in her chest.

 _And perhaps, I with you..._

 _/ / / /_

SEPTEMBER

With the holidays over, the children were officially back in school and Rin was once more sitting idly in her shop awaiting the massive influx of school kids coming for their treats at the end of the day.

Just short of 1pm, she heard the bell on her door ring, signalling a customer. "Irasshaimase!"

"Are you the owner?" The stick thin stub of a man came in with the most dour expression on his face. Rin wondered if he was truly looking for sweets to brighten his day.

"Hai, yes I'm Nakamura Rin. Can I help you sir?" She tried to sound as friendly as possible but the almost green tinge of the man's skin was starting to make her feel anxious.

Tiptoeing by the edge of her counter, the stranger turned his nose up at the worn out wooden panel, rubbing his scratchy finger over non-existent dust. "You can call me Mr. Jaken. I believe you've received a letter from my company?" He slapped a letter of notice and his name card on the counter. "If you haven't, now you have. See here? We've been given permission by the government to buy over this shop and all the shops on this street. Big shopping malls, big money. You get me?"

Rin was still grappling with the contents of the letter when she heard the words "evicted" from tiny green man's mouth. "I'm sorry Jaken-san, what did you say?"

"It's Mister Jaken! And I said you have two weeks to get yourself packing and out of here. This land now belongs to Jak and Co. Limited."

The reality was difficult for Rin to swallow. Move out? But this had been her home for the past six years! "I'm sorry Mr. Jaken sir, but I have paid for the full value of this property in cash – "

"Are you as blind as you are deaf? Didn't I just say you'll be compensated? It's written in that letter you're holding too, in case you couldn't read. 2% above the original value."

"That's daylight robbery! That's just the cost of inflation!" Rin couldn't believe the nerve of these realtors! To think they'd tear down such a heritage structure to build a concrete block? "And what if I refuse?"

Mr. Jaken slapped another name card onto the table. "Then my lawyers will be contacting you. I hear the fine for noncompliance is quite hefty." Tipping an imaginary hat at her, the man walked out the same way he came in. "Have a nice day."

As if she could.

Her day was essentially ruined. Where was she to find a temporary place in such short notice? And if she were to engage lawyers...

No. Rin would not go through all that heartache again and she couldn't risk the courts knowing she would officially be homeless and jobless in a fortnight. If they ever took Hiroki away because of that, Rin couldn't forgive herself ever.

Turning to her laptop, Rin began to fervently hunt for any rental shop openings within the prefecture. The money she would receive from the sale of her shop would be measly in the current market conditions but Rin had to try. Hiroki was her life; she'd do anything to protect him.

For the next few days that week, Rin continued searching while trying her best to sell as much of her stock as possible. With the budget she estimated, she could only afford a small shophouse, likely half the size of their current place. And that meant less storage space.

"Wow, a sale? I've not seen you have one since I've arrived. What's the occasion?" The lanky form of her familiar customer leaned against one of her shelves, watching as she bundled some sweets together.

"No reason," she lied. "Just clearing stock." Although that part was probably true. Rin knew without a doubt that if she told him, Sensei would try and offer his help and she didn't want that. Dating or not, Rin had always stood on her own two feet and she would continue to do so.

"You know you can talk to me about anything right?" Though he remained in his position, Rin could feel his eyes following her around the shop. "I'd rather hear it from you than Hiroki-chan."

He knew her weak spot. Sighing, she lugged a basket of crackers onto the counter top then looked over at him. "It's nothing I can't handle. I'll be fine. Please don't worry about it."

He got to her side faster than she could blink her eyes. "Are you kidding me? We're together aren't we? So of course I worry about you; I care deeply about you! Please don't shoulder everything yourself Nakamura-san..."

Hadn't she been doing that all along? Why should things change just because they were together? "I'm trying to find a new shop location. Thus the sale. If you want to help, then help me find one that won't burst my budget." Rin honestly hated to push him out like this but she didn't want him to felt sorry for her. People were always pitying her and accepting their help hurt the most.

"Alright. I'll leave since its clear I'm not welcomed here," he sighed. "Whatever I can find I'll ask my nurse aid to email you. I won't be a bother anymore."

When he turned and left, Rin knew that something irreparable had just happened. But she couldn't afford to give her heart time to ponder over it. Her son needed a home.

/ / / /

SESSHOUMARU

They hadn't spoken to each other in three days. And the agony of waiting for Nakamura-san to reach out to him was unbearable. He _knew_ something was wrong so why couldn't she just tell him? Did she not trust him to take care of her?

Taking off his stethoscope from around his neck, Sesshoumaru closed his office door and headed to the front desk. "Yamamoto-san, I was wondering if Nakamura-san replied to any of the listings I asked you to send her yesterday?"

The nurse looked up from her screen and shook her head. "I'm afraid not Sensei. Would you like me to call, and check?"

Sesshoumaru rubbed the back of his neck in annoyance. "I'm really sorry to bother you like this Sango-san but could I ask a personal favour?" Though his nurse had given him permission to call her by her first name since a long time ago, he rarely used it which was why she sat up in rapt attention as he spoke. "I'm worried about Hiroki. With his mother busy with the moving and packing, I don't know if he is coping well with the change. Would you be kind enough to drop by the candy store and check on them for me?"

His nurse gave him a knowing smile. "I didn't know you were that close to his mother, Sensei. Why not call them yourself?"

If only she would pick up the damn phone! "I haven't had the time. Anyway also ask her about the property I sent her. My brother can help her negotiate the price so just tell me which one she likes. I have a feeling it's urgent."

When Sango left that evening to drop by Nakamura sweetshop, Sesshoumaru calmly sat at the reception, looking out of the window ever so often for a sign of his nurse aid returning. He said goodbye to the other doctors leaving for the day and was certain he was the last one in the building, when he heard soft clicking heels.

"Lady problems? I know that face on any man."

"Kazeko-Sensei. I thought you've left." What a bad time to be alone with her in their office. If Nakamura-san were to come here and misunderstood again...

"Don't worry, I'm not going to pounce on you," she laughed as though reading his mind. "But am I right? Had a fight with your girlfriend?"

"We're not in high school anymore Kagura. To call her my girlfriend is a little – never mind. But it's a personal matter. Doesn't concern you."

"Well I'm not the one pacing the front door like a worried mother hen. So spill it already. I might be able to help."

Sesshoumaru didn't know why he chose to confide in her; the words spilling out of his mouth without restraint – from the trip he took to fetch Nakamura-san and her son; the phone call by the ex husband and now this sudden desire to move out of her shop.

"Maybe she's cheating on you."

"I don't think that's it Kagura. You know what, this has been a waste of time." Nakamura-san wasn't that type of woman.

"Okay okay, just throwing it out there." Kagura lifted both her hands up in surrender. "Have you ever considered that maybe her ex husband is stalking her?"

Now that didn't sound too farfetched. Nakamura-san after all was very secretive when it came to her past. Just that one phone call from her ex had sent her trembling. What if he was part of the yakuza or something? "I'd better go over now."

To his surprise, the shop was closed – neither Nakamura-san nor his nurse aid in sight. Even the house lights were off. Where in the world could they be?

"Your luck has run out. I'm afraid this shop is closed for good." At the tiny screeching voice, Sesshoumaru turned to find a petite man holding an umbrella and wearing dark sunglasses. An odd character indeed considering it was nearly dusk and the skies were clear.

Could it be? A member of the yakuza?

"Ah, you're looking for her new shop too?" Perhaps he could try and put them off her trail. "She might have moved out of town. Who knows."

But the little green man simply sputtered as he laughed. "All the better. Guess I can trash this cheque then."

That immediately got Sesshoumaru's attention. "Wait. You're buying this place? Is that why she moved?" The man nodded and passed him his name card. "Jaken-san, we're you supposed to meet Nakamura-san here today?"

"Mister Jaken, that's my name. And yes. Today's the last day. If she's not out by tomorrow morning, she'll be fined heavily. But it seems she has complied."

Sesshoumaru couldn't believe she hid something this important from him. What was she thinking? Did she run away again? God, she needed to stop being so selfish and think about him for once! "Give me that cheque Mister Jaken. I'll pass it to her to tonight." At the man's cautious gaze, Sesshoumaru sighed. "I'm not going to be able to cash it anyway. It's clearly addressed to her. And if I do, it'll just bounce and you wouldn't have lost anything."

"Fine. You're absolutely right. Just make sure she evacuates this premises by 0900 hours tomorrow." The tiny man waddled off, much to Sesshoumaru's relief. He was indeed a rather impish character.

/ / / /

RIN

 _2 hours earlier_

When she saw the familiar nurse aid at the door, Rin knew that Sanzen-san had sent her. Though she often saw Yamamoto-san at the clinic, their interactions were limited to a few seconds of monetary exchange and dosage instructions.

This was a personal call.

"Nakamura-san? Goodness, what's up with these bags? You're moving to the new shop tonight? But you haven't even gotten back to Oshiro-Sensei yet!" At her side, Hiroki had gone completely still. Strange considering he had seen her a couple of times; he wasn't the type to be scared of strangers.

"My apologies. I did look but they are all out of my budget. You didn't have to come all the way here Yamamoto-san. I'm sorry it was a wasted trip." Looking out at the distance, Rin then bowed politely. "We'll have to get going. Good evening."

The cab however took longer to arrive than she expected. Looking over silently at the nurse aid, Rin wondered why she hadn't bothered to get to know her much. Since they were standing in awkward silence, Rin decided to break the ice. "Ano Yamamoto-san, have you always worked at Oshiro clinic?"

The older woman nodded. "Straight out of Nagoya university. Was privileged to have worked with the Inutaisho-sensei maybe for three years?"

Rin couldn't believe it. "You went to Nagoya uni too? Ahah! Then I'm your kohai!" The two women marvelled at how small the world was and began sharing stories about their days in school. "Our paths wouldn't even have crossed. You were in your final year and I just started uni. So what brings you to Inuyama, Yamamoto-san?"

"Eh no need to be so formal! I'm your senpai after all. You can call me Sango."

That name sounded familiar but Rin attributed it to the fact that she had been living in this same town with her for many years. The name would have come up somewhere. "Then I suppose you can call me Rin."

For a moment, the nurse aid peered at her face as though seeing a ghost but then shook her head. "It can't be."

"Can't be what?"

"Well I've never met her before but my younger brother used to go out with this girl called Rin back in his university days. Rin is a common name isn't it?" Sango shrugged her shoulder. "But knowing him, she probably would be much much younger than you. At least that's his current preference."

Yamamoto… like Yamamoto Kohaku? His sister wanted to be a doctor didn't he say? They didn't live together or saw much of each other. But Rin was now sure that his sister's name was Sango…

"Well, that's in the past isn't it? I don't suppose your brother had a son as well," joked Rin.

"That guy? I'm sure he'd have a hundred by now if he didn't get a vasectomy. Can you believe that idiot? Got it at 21."

Right after Hiroki was born. Did he really hate having children that much?

"Ano, Sango-chan, I think you can tell Oshiro Sensei that I'll get back to him when I can about the property so not to worry. I don't want to keep you from your family either."

The nurse looked at her with a strange unreadable expression. "Why don't you come over for tea? Seems like this cab is taking forever and the skies don't look too good. I live just down the street and the driver will call you when he arrives right?" She didn't know why she agreed but as they stepped into the warm interior of Sango-san's house, Rin felt slightly at ease. It had been slightly nerve wrecking to stand in the dark like that and though most of her things had been sent to a temporary storage, they still had quite a few bags that made them look like a couple of hobos. Not to mention that it had started raining and with the taxi still not anywhere to be found, Rin shuddered at the thought of Hiroki being soaked to the skin.

While Sango made tea, Hiroki curled up against his mother; unwilling to sit by himself even when she returned with the drinks and snacks.

"Okaa-san, Hiro-chan wants to go home," he whined softly. Rin wished she could too but she didn't know how best to explain it to him. But as luck had it, explaining anything to her son would be the last thing on her mind half an hour later when the doorbell rang and in stormed a very drenched and annoyed gentleman.

"You!" Those long limbs covered the distance between the entrance and the sofa in five strides. "Do you know how long I've been searching for you? I've been so worried!"

Rin had her retort at the tip of her tongue and was about to lash out when Hiroki jumped off the sofa and nosedived straight into the man's legs, gripping him tight. "Sensei, sensei!" he cried, letting the man carry him into a soothing hug.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded, before turning towards Sango. "If Sango-san didn't call me, god knows what I would have done! Hiroki, where are your bags?" When the boy pointed to his school backpack and a large suitcase, Rin watched as Sanzen-san picked those up and headed towards the door. "And you? Are you coming?"

Bowing repeatedly to Sango, Rin apologised a couple more times before dragging her remaining bags out of the door. When she got to the first floor, Rin quietly allowed the glowering doctor to shove her items into his car boot before settling herself next to her son.

"Sensei is very angry at Okaa-san. He says we are going to his house tonight," whispered Hiroki, somewhat frightened. Rin wondered if that was an understatement. She had always seen the man smiling and laughing – despite his stern expression – but to see him actually mad and tempestuous added a whole new dimension to it.

Sensei's apartment was surprisingly large for a single man to be occupying. Rin didn't even know that he lived a distance away from the clinic, almost at the outskirts of the main town itself.

"Hiroki-chan, you can take the spare room at the end of the hall. I'll move all these into the study room for the meantime." Though his voice was calm, Rin could still hear the sharp edge of acid, mostly directed at her. He hadn't assigned her a room – because it was obvious where she would be sleeping in.

An hour later when Hiroki was comfortable in the guest bed, Rin tucked him in and tried her best to read a story to the boy, only to have him pull the book from her. "It's okay Okaa-san. I think you should go and talk to Sensei."

"No, that's fine. I can still read you a bedtime story –why are you crying?"

"Please Okaa-san. If you did something wrong, you must apologise! Hiro-chan doesn't want to lose Sensei. What if he doesn't forgive you and hates me too?"

Who'd put such thoughts in his head? "Sensei will never hate you sweetheart… It's _me_ that he's angry at, not you –"

"Then apologise!"

She ought to slap him for raising his voice at her but Rin was too stunned at the moment to do anything. It was the first time in her life that Hiroki ever wanted something this strongly. Had he come to see Sanzen-san as a constant in his life?

"Hiro-chan, you must not mistake Sensei as your father. He is not –"

"But I want him to be!"

"Hiroki…" Rin's warning tone was ignored completely by her son who threw his book at her.

"I hate you!" he screamed before burying himself under the blanket, refusing to budge no matter how hard Rin tried to drag him out. Only when he kept screaming did she finally leave the room; her heart aching at the harsh words from her son.

When she entered the living area, Rin slumped heavily onto the sofa and waited for the next round of screaming and lecture to come.

But none came.

In fact, Sensei didn't speak to her at all. He busied himself as per normal, doing his own washing and reading before turning down the lights and heading to bed. He didn't offer her his room either which left her the obvious option – the couch.

Feeling extremely pathetic – much of which was her own doing, Rin eventually curled up around the cushions and allowed exhaustion to take over.

/ / / /

A/N: Thanks everyone for your comments and reviews! I know I promised a long chapter but I had to split up chapter 5 and 6 because it was more than 20 pages worth of words! And there's quite a lot of emotional roller coaster in this one. I really wanted to see how everyone would react since it's the first time that Sesshoumaru gets truly angry with Rin! However, let's hope our cute couple will overcome the trials (and oh boy do I have more) coming their way.


	6. I want to know what love is

A/N: Thank you everyone for all the awesome comments! *hearts* A special mention to Asahi for your comment on name calling. Yes! Sesshoumaru and Rin will finally call each other by their first names at the end of this chapter! I think I've held out far too long for them. Not to mention (warning!) that they're going to get lemony in this one.

Characters

Rin Nakamura + Hiroki Nakamura

Sesshomaru/ Inuyasha Oshiro

[Sanzen-san =Mr 3000 is Rin's nickname for Sess]

Kagome Suzuki

Sango/Kohaku Yamamoto

Kagura Kazeko

Naraku Kita

Miroku Ashikaga

/ / /

SESSHOUMARU

Ignoring her had been the toughest thing Sesshoumaru had done in his life. He had intended to give her a right lecture about the dynamics of an open and truthful relationship, but after that small outburst by Hiroki, he didn't think it was fair to put her through further torture.

Although... Sesshoumaru wondered whom exactly he was torturing. Not being able to touch her and comfort her was equally punishing on him, especially when he had found her at his nurse's house looking so crestfallen. To be honest, he would too if his whole life was taken right from underneath him.

Still, Sesshoumaru forced himself to go on his nightly rituals -washing the dishes, doing the laundry, preparing his files for the next day - before leaving her alone in the living room. What he _really_ wanted to do was to put her over his shoulders and discipline her underneath him all night. But for tonight...

Sesshoumaru tried to close his eyes, hoping to shut out his thoughts about her. They however played over and over like a marathon movie run in his head. Should he go out and apologise? Maybe bring a blanket and some extra pillows…

No! He needed to leave her alone. At this rate their relationship would not progress –

His room door suddenly creaked open; soft footsteps coming up to the other side of his bed. Feigning sleep, he kept very still as the unfamiliar weight rested gently on his mattress.

"Too cold?" His voice must have shocked her for she jumped off the bed like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"I don't sleep very well in new places..." she admitted, her face hidden from him. "And Hiroki won't let me sleep with him."

"I heard," he whispered sympathetically. How could he remain angry at her when she was standing so adorably in front of him? Everything from her posture to the way she refused to meet his gaze spoke of how guilty she felt. At least that was what Sesshoumaru wanted to believe.

Swinging his feet off the other side of the bed, he stood up and walked over towards her, drawing her slowly into an embrace. "But Nakamura-san, I cannot guarantee that I'll be able to give you a peaceful night."

Her body froze, likely at the realisation that he slept fully naked and her voice shook slightly as she whispered, "Because you'll snore?"

"No, because of this." His erection made itself known to her as he pressed himself against her thigh. Not giving her a chance to back out now, Sesshoumaru pushed her backwards onto the bed and leaned his weight on top of her.

Grabbing her lush bottom, Sesshoumaru murmured into the crook of her neck. Was she really planning to sleep in her jeans and t-shirt? Such bountiful plump flesh should never be contained or covered up too long. Working his hands on her button and zipper, he rid her of the offending material, tossing it on the floor together with her top and undergarments.

Tilting her chin up, he gazed into her eyes of liquid heat; need and desire echoing in the depths. He felt her fingers reach out to comb through his hair, cradling his head closer to her face. An instant later, she crashed her lips on his, her onslaught soft and unyielding. Sesshoumaru gratefully conceded to the urgency of the kiss, coaxing her tongue into a tangle as he deepened their kiss.

Pulling away from her, Sesshoumaru braced his hands at each side of her head; his body pressed dangerously against hers. She was all curves against his solid muscles, the scent of her arousal ambrosia to his maddening lust.

"I want you, all of you," he whispered, cupping her face in his palm. "Stop running away from me."

 _Or forgetting me._

She turned her cheek towards the heat of his palm and kissed the tender inner flesh – a promise.

With his hands firm on her butt cheeks, he parted her legs slightly, before running two long fingers down to the folds of her entrance. As he traced the plump flesh, her wetness was like baby oil on his fingers as they rubbed softly over her clitoris; the rough callous edge of his fingers circling the sensitive nub driving her crazy.

"Sensei… please…" she murmured breathlessly. When the pleasure became too much that it racked her body, Sesshoumaru felt her teeth sinking into the curve of his neck; the unexpected bite making him moan, clearly pleased at being marked.

Lifting his fingers away, he brought them to his lips and licked at the liquid, making sure that she knew where he intended to get more later.

Rin however had other plans. Reaching between them, her hand closed over his erection; her fingers stroking the swollen flesh with excruciating tenderness. "Get on your back," she whispered, pushing against his chest and rolling on top of him. Sesshoumaru hadn't intended to give her the reigns but this slightly seme side of her was something he was curious about.

Not to mention that the view of her moving down between his legs was incredibly sexy as hell. Her eyes were locked on his – the satisfaction of his obedience apparent – as she spread his knees apart, wrapping his entire length between hot, wet lips; her tongue twirling at the sensitive head. With one hand clenching the base of his erection, she moved it up and down in a pumping motion while the other caressed his balls ever so gently.

"Rin, that's… oh my god…" Sesshoumaru pressed a fist into his mouth, hoping his shouts wouldn't wake up the boy sleeping down the corridor. "You've got to stop that baby…" he stifled a moan when she engulfed him in her mouth once more. "Or I would be shooting my load on that pretty face instead."

Not wanting the night to end on that note, he reached forward and pulled her all the way up; positioning her just above his hungry lips. There was no gentleness this time when he held her legs apart, his teeth sinking into the tender inner thigh to mark her, before grazing playfully at the nub between her legs.

It took only one lick and a tentative suck.

"Sesshoumaru!" she screamed. Bucking her hips, she fed him more of her sweet secretions; her fingers fisting in his hair, demanding more of his lascivious tongue that was searing her already hot insides. Sesshoumaru loved the feeling of her essence smeared all across his chin; the liquid gushing out even as his tongue lapped it up greedily.

"No more please…" she whimpered, looking down at him with pleading eyes. "I want you inside…"

"Then help yourself," he murmured against her, watching as the beautiful woman repositioned herself; palms pressed on his chest and her hips rested on top of his waist. For a moment, her face was all red as her eyes purposefully avoided his. Was she embarrassed? "There is no shame in taking what you want from me. Don't you want me too?"

"So much," she whispered, lowering herself slowly to accommodate his girth. There was truly no emotion to describe that first instant grip her soft walls made around his aching erection –Sesshoumaru revelled in it.

Putting his hands over his head, he allowed her to ride him; simply watching as she ground her hips up and down over his rigid member, bringing him closer to the edge. She was so tight in this position, almost clamp-like around him that he knew he couldn't last.

"Look at me… Let me see your beautiful face."

Dark brown eyes met his – the flash of desire evident on her face; her cheeks flushed and her breath ragged. And those lips…so plump and invitingly naked.

He covered them with his own, coaxing them apart to allow his tongue access to her mouth. Deepening the kiss, he roamed his hands up her body, searching for her breasts. Palming them, he massaged the twin mounds until she whimpered against him, pressing her hips all the way down so much so that he could almost feel his tip touching the entrance of her cervix.

Knowing his climax was imminent, Sesshoumaru fumbled for the condoms in his side drawers, cursing as the comfortable heat was withdrawn to allow him to sheath for a second. Urging her hips down once more on him, he allowed her free reign of their bodies; those sensuous hips moving up and down, squeezing him so tight that it left him gasping as he came with violent jerks inside of her.

When her body slumped on top of his in equal satisfaction, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but feel aroused once more. Flipping their bodies so that she was now underneath him, he grinned as he kissed her, watching as her eyes widened at the hardness slowly filling her up from inside once again. "We're not done yet. I believe your punishment is just beginning."

/ / /

Waking up to the smell of eggs and toast left Sesshoumaru in a slight daze. Did he leave his stove on or something? Wrapping a towel around his waist, he sauntered into the kitchen, stretching his hands upwards as he yawned.

"Ohayo Sensei! Did you have a good night?" The chirpy voice of a boy stopped him in his tracks. Right... that's right. He had a good night; a _very_ good night in fact. He had almost thought it was a dream since he had woken up alone in his bed.

"Good morning. I see you're already dressed. What time is it?" Sesshoumaru rubbed his eyes groggily and looked up at his wall clock. Six in the morning. "Is it a school day? Okay let me get dressed. I'll drive you."

Hiroki looked up from his cereal bowl, sporting a milk moustache and a wide grin. "Really?!"

The boy looked so adorable that Sesshoumaru found himself sliding in next to him and grabbing a plate of toast. "But on one condition. I heard what you said to Okaa-san last night and I think you should apologise."

"Iye." Hiroki scooped up another spoonful of cereals and wagged the metal left and right. "Okaa-san needs to apologise to Sensei first."

Sesshoumaru never thought the boy had a single stubborn bone in his body but apparently, even the kind-tempered Hiroki could hold a grudge. "I've already forgiven her last night. We… talked about it." To be specific, she was on her hands and knees but ah –

"You're too soft on her Sensei! If she doesn't apologise properly, Hiro-chan is scared that Sensei will kick us out… and hate us…"

"Whatever made you think – " Ah, the boy's father. "I promise you Hiroki-chan, your mother has made amends. After all, isn't that why she made such a delicious breakfast?" Biting off the last of his toast, Sesshoumaru stood up and patted the boy's head. "Remember to apologise to her."

Stepping into the bathroom, he almost knocked into Nakamura-san who was just getting out of the shower. Seeing her naked woke him up in more ways than one.

"We did it so much last night!" she struggled against his hold. "And I can't or I'll be late sending Hiroki to school."

Sesshoumaru continued nuzzling against her neck, ignoring her protests. "If I send him to school do I get a quickie in the shower?" Not giving her a chance to answer, Sesshoumaru pushed her back into the bath area, drowning her voice under the torrent of water above them.

When they emerged twenty minutes later, Sesshoumaru was feeling much more alive and well stretched. She on the other hand was grumbling, albeit contentedly, as she showered off the remnants of their early morning tryst.

"Enjoy the apartment; use whatever you want in the fridge. I'll pick Hiroki up from school and come home for lunch?" He tried to make it sound as casual as possible but knowing her, she was already on the defense.

"I don't mean to be a burden Sensei... I'll look for a place immediately and –"

"Just stay here with me Nakamura-san. I know all about the shop and I know you won't find something so soon. So stop being stubborn and start being selfish towards me. Is it so hard to believe that I truly want you and Hiroki here?"

She turned away from him, saying nothing at first. Then with a small nod, she began to smile just a little and whispered, "Thank you."

/ / /

OCTOBER

As was his usual routine now, Sesshoumaru took his lunch hour slightly later so he could stop by Hiroki's school to fetch the boy and have their meal at home. Nakamura-san as it turned out, loved the idea of having their meals together –though she would never admit it of course – and always made sure to give him an extra portion of his favourite bits of mackerel or beef. The small gesture might seem harmless, but to him, it meant everything.

If he dared to suggest, she might even be falling back in love with him as he definitely was with her.

"I see you seem to be taking this whole parent thing really seriously," said Kagome, coming up to him as her class was dismissed. "I'm quite impressed Onii-san!"

Why did she always have to call him that? "It's only temporary. My apartment is too far away for him to cycle to school. Besides… it's on the way."

Kagome rolled her eyes at him before thrusting the young ward into his care. "See you next week Hiroki-kun! Have a great weekend." Sesshoumaru caught the light dusting of red on the boy's cheeks as he waved his teacher goodbye. This was new.

"So, are you ready to go home Hiroki-kun?" The change in his endearment didn't go unnoticed by the boy. But Sesshoumaru supposed it was about time he stopped addressing the boy with such a feminine suffix – especially not after their talk about procreation.

"Ano… is Sensei going to call me that from now on?" Hiroki looked up bashfully at him. "Tomorrow's my birthday! So Suzuki-Sensei said I'm a big boy now so she's not calling me chan…"

Sesshoumaru couldn't help looking guiltily back. He didn't even know! And he didn't even prepare anything special – not even a present. Looking down at his watch, he figured they'd have some time to go shopping for a little treat before heading home. But before he could suggest it to the boy, Hiroki had gone completely still; his hands gripping tightly around Sesshoumaru's wrist.

"Hiroki-kun!" A young man with dark hair and dark eyes –an exact carbon copy of the young boy before him – was waving enthusiastically from the school gates. Sesshoumaru didn't even need to ask to guess who it was.

So they finally meet.

"Hiroki, I'm so glad I made it! I was running late and got so worried that I'd miss you!" He peered down at the boy; ruffling his hair playfully. "Ah and you must be his Sensei. Thank you so much for taking such good care of him."

Sesshoumaru didn't correct him – yet. Though he wasn't wrong in that sense, he was still curious to know what the boy's father wanted from him. Eyeing him warily, Sesshoumaru asked the obvious, "I assume you two are related?"

"Can't you tell? So Hiroki, would you like to take a walk home with me today? It's your birthday tomorrow right? We could go and get you a little present." The man stretched out his hand but Hiroki only hung on tighter to Sesshoumaru.

"I'm sorry Nakamura-san, I don't think Hiroki-kun is feeling too well. Perhaps it's best if I send him home quickly."

The man however wasn't too pleased to hear that. Grabbing Hiroki by the wrist, he pulled the boy forcefully towards him. "I believe you are mistaken Sensei. This boy is my son and I'm taking him home."

Hiroki started to cry and though he wanted to snatch the boy back, Sesshoumaru didn't want him to have the trauma of being pushed back and forth between the adults. "Nakamura-san, please release him. You are not a lawful guardian and I cannot release this child to your custody."

"My name is Yamamoto Kohaku. Stop calling me by that woman's name! And how would you know anything about my guardianship? Are you sleeping with my wife?"

Now this was getting out of hand. Getting to his knees, Sesshoumaru reached out gently to the boy and cupped his cheeks. "Go and wait in the car okay? I'll come for you in a bit." Relief was clear on Hiroki's face as he struggled free and ran towards the parking space. When Sesshoumaru was sure that the boy was out of hearing range; all politeness and pretence evaporated. "I believe the proper term is ex-wife. I'm giving you a chance to leave now or else I'll call the police."

"That fucking slut!" Yamamoto-san spat to the ground. "Netted you so easily did she? Bet you bought into the whole innocent façade of hers." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Women have it so easy. All the need to do is spread their legs and men just come crawling –"

The punch came out of nowhere, knuckles smashing against cheekbones. That had been the last straw with Sesshoumaru. The brawl that ensued was long overdue on his part; both men speaking with their fists, wanting to best the other until they were forcefully separated by the school teachers.

"Sensei! What is the meaning of this?" Sesshoumaru looked up at Kagome from under slowly swelling eyelids. She looked like a cooked sweet potato about to explode. "Fighting in the school compound? In front of children?"

"He was hurting Hiroki! And he tried to kidnap the boy!" Sesshoumaru was sure that on the other side of the room, Yamamoto-san was saying the exact same thing. Funny how neither of them had any legal rights to be with the boy in the first place. "Did you call his mother?"

"Of course I did! Do you think I can allow Hiroki to go home with either of you idiots at this moment?" Kagome sighed as she rubbed her belly. "Honestly, I'd expect this from Inuyasha... but you! You're lucky the principal has decided not to involve the police." Sesshoumaru knew it was largely due to his reputation as the town's doctor.

But he wasn't sure if that was enough to appease the flustered mother running towards them not long after. Her expression was pure horror; those eyes worried and those hands reaching out to hug –

SMACK!

"Oww..." Sesshoumaru rubbed his cheek where she had slapped him. "I'm the victim here!"

"You!" she pointed her finger at him. "Be quiet. Fighting, at your age?! What kind of example are you setting for my son? Suzuki-sensei, where's Hiroki? Is he safe –?"

Kagome gave him a warning look as she led the anxious woman towards the principal's office.

Sesshoumaru hated this. If he had been the boy's legal guardian, none of this would have been an issue. And if truth be told, Sesshoumaru had been slightly hurt that she still didn't seem to think of Hiroki as theirs, rather than just hers.

Couldn't she see that he loved the boy as much as he loved her?

When they emerged with Hiroki in tow, Sesshoumaru need only smile at the boy before witnessing him releasing his mother's hand and running straight into his arms; apologising profusely for causing him so much trouble. Sesshoumaru wondered if the boy knew how much of his mother he truly was. Apart from his physical looks, Hiroki had nothing in common with his biological father.

"Hiroki-kun, get away from that man! He's violent!" Sesshoumaru looked over to where the boy's father was shouting. The mother on the other hand was standing rooted between the two of them; her eyes moving from one man to the other in disbelief.

"That's enough Kohaku. You have no visitation rights so don't act like you care. Please do not come here again or I will file for a restraining order." She turned on her heels, calling out to Hiroki to follow her.

"Gomen ne Otou-san," whispered Hiroki, bowing slightly to his father before tugging at Sesshoumaru's hand. "But I want Sensei to be my Daddy now. Please don't come back."

Sesshoumaru wished he could go back to recapture the look on both the parents' face. Nakamura-san had gone completely death white while Yamamoto-san had his mouth gaping wide in shock.

"You heard the boy. Stay away from my child," warned Sesshoumaru as he held Hiroki's hand and walked towards his car, never once looking back.

It was only much later at night when he had volunteered to read to the boy that Sesshoumaru dared to ask, "Ne Hiroki-kun, did you really mean what you said earlier?" He felt his cheeks going slightly warm. "Umm you know about me being your Daddy?"

"Hai," the boy replied shyly. "I like Sensei very much…"

Sesshoumaru knew he was defeated. This child had wormed his way into his heart, dragging his mother right along and claiming an unshakable spot in his life.

"I like Hiroki-kun very much too," he admitted. Perhaps it was time to move the relationship with the boy's mother one step up.

But first, he needed to plan for an impromptu birthday party. After all, it wasn't every day that a boy turned seven.

/ / /

RIN

Following the fighting incident at Hiroki's school, Rin now had the duty to fetch and send her son to school every day. Though Sanzen-san still drove them in the morning, Rin had gotten used to taking the train and walking down the small alleys on the way back. It gave her extra time to look for shop spaces available for rent. It was either that or she'd consider transferring Hiroki out to another elementary school closer to their new home.

But that would mean taking a big step forward in her relationship with the Sensei. In just four weeks, she had fallen into the rhythm of the wife, cooking their meals, cleaning the house and even sharing his bed. But the truth was, Rin knew that nothing lasted forever. Not even marriage.

She still hadn't come to terms with the fact that her current lover had been in a fight with her ex-husband. Talk about romantic.

Except they weren't really fighting over her – they fought over her son.

Rin had been livid that evening after Hiroki had gone to sleep; cornering the Sensei and warning him not to drag her son into their complicated situation. The boy didn't need to hear empty promises like Sensei being his father or that they could live with him forever.

" _Why can't I be his father?" he had asked calmly, folding the laundry spread out between them. "Hiroki said it himself. I didn't suggest anything to him."_

" _We're not even married! And look, you need to stop encouraging him to think like that! He'll only get attached to you and –"_

" _Do you want to get married then?" He didn't even lift his eyes to look at her, continuing to fold his shirts. That only angered her more._

" _What, no! That's not my point!"_

In the end, Rin had given up with the argument and slept in Hiroki's room. She had been taking refuge in there for the past week now. Covering her face, Rin sighed.

"Rin-chan, alone today?" Rin looked up to see the heavily pregnant homeroom teacher waddling towards her.

"Ah Suzuki-sensei! Hai, Oshiro-Sensei has a staff meeting today. How are you today?"

The teacher rubbed her belly and grimaced. "I feel like a walking oven. Not to mention that the little princess keeps making me pee."

Oh a baby girl! Rin had always wondered what it would be like to have one – not that she regretted having a boy. Hiroki was the most wonderful thing that happened to her.

"When are you due?" asked Rin.

"Any day now. She's pushing the 39th week." Ah, a healthy term then, unlike Hiroki who was slightly premature. "Ne Rin-chan, would you like to come over tonight? Inuyasha is out on a business meeting and I hate being home alone. My in-laws were supposed to come and accompany me but they had a last minute appointment to go to.

The thought of being cooped up with the dog made Rin turn sickly green. "I would love to but you know I'm allergic –"

"Oh! Don't worry, I'll put Daisuke outside for the night and we can go to the second floor living room. He's not allowed in there so there shouldn't be much of his hair lying around."

Rin pursed her lips, considering the offer. She didn't have any friends since moving to Inuyama and with Hiroki quite enamoured by his homeroom teacher and their family dog, she didn't see why not. "I suppose it's okay since tomorrow is a weekend… but you sure the dog will be outside?" At the woman's insistent nod, Rin gave in. "Alright. Want me to bring anything?"

"Oh! Oh! Can you bring dorayaki? I don't know why I've been having such a strange yearning for them lately…"

Rin only smiled at the teacher's craving. "Of course! That's super easy to make. We'll have a feast tonight ne?"

Clasping her hands tight, Kagome then waved her off as Hiroki came bouncing to her side.

"It seems we're going to Kagome-Sensei's house tonight. She's a bit lonely so we're going to keep her company." The boy's eyes went wide. "But Daisuke will be sitting outside so you cannot play with him all the time."

"If I bring an extra change of clothes can I go play with him?"

Rin couldn't help but laugh at his earnest expression. "We'll see."

/ / / /

"So I left the rice and dishes in the fridge. All you need to do is heat them up –" Rin never got to finish her reminder as her lips were eaten up by the handsome male before her.

"Yes Okaa-san, I'm a big boy. I know how to microwave my food."

He pressed another kiss on her lips – much to the agony of Hiroki who happened to walk into the kitchen at that moment. "Eww! Sensei! Okaa-san!"

"Ah, I think that's your cue to go. You sure you don't want me to drive you? It's quite a distance by train."

Rin batted away his offer for the hundredth time and headed towards the door where her son was already waiting in excitement. She supposed this was as close as getting his own dog so she couldn't blame him for looking forward to the overnight stay.

"Ittekimasu!" Rin called out, waving off as they stepped out of the apartment. To be honest, it had been a while since she and Hiroki did anything together and while she had taken him out for a fancy lunch on his birthday, she knew she wanted to spend more time with him.

"Ne Hiro-chan, shall we go somewhere tomorrow on our way home? We can go to the zoo or to the amusement park –"

"Will Sensei be coming along?" Hiroki mimicked the frown she currently wore on her face. "If he's not coming then I don't want to go."

Since when did her son become this stubborn? Had she been too lenient on him these few months that he had started talking back to her? "Is it wrong for you to spend time with Okaa-san? I thought we were happy just the two of us."

"But Hiro-chan likes it when it's the three of us. It's like we're a family," he whispered that last word timidly but Rin caught it nonetheless.

She _really_ didn't want to get into that whole argument again with him about making Sensei his father, at least not tonight.

Kagome had promised a ladies' night only – well, apart from Hiroki – and so Rin truly wanted to enjoy it. She had even brought nail polish and facial masks so they could pamper themselves after a few episodes of that sappy romance drama she knew both of them loved.

So an hour later when they arrived at Oshiro-Suzuki's house, Rin was really looking forward to a relaxing night. But when the door opened…

"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HIROKI-KUN!"

Happy, blinking faces were staring at her – three she knew but the others she didn't. The worst part was, the star of the show was in blissful heaven that he completely abandoned her in favour of the mountain of presents being thrust in his face.

An absolute nightmare.

"Rin-chan, gomen-ne!" The heavily pregnant Kagome ushered her in, taking her by the elbow and bringing her into the kitchen. "Let me take those dorayaki from you. Oh no, are you really angry at me?"

Would it be a crime if she said she was on the verge of murdering her? "I… I'm in shock."

"Kagome, why don't you help Hiroki to the dining room?" Rin didn't need to turn to know whose deep voice that was. Somehow, she had a feeling this was all his fault.

"Nakamura –iye. Rin…" Soft hands touched her chin, angling it up towards him. "I didn't mean to trick you but it was a surprise for Hiroki. I know you two couldn't keep a secret from each other." When she remained stubbornly silent, he sighed. "Look at me, please."

She gave him her most defiant look of hatred.

That however didn't deter him one bit. "I could kiss you right now. But then I'd have to keep everyone waiting because I can't stop with just a kiss." He kissed her knuckles instead. "And I think you really wanted to make a good impression don't you?"

Oh he was good. He had known the moment he cornered her in the kitchen that _that_ was what had pissed her off big time. Had she known she was going to meet his entire family, Rin would have dressed nicer, maybe even planned what topics she would say and god knows, even bring something more elegant than dorayaki…

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered finally, looking up teary-eyed at him. "Why are you so kind to Hiroki and me?"

The same hand that he had kissed earlier was brought forward to press on his chest. "Because of this. Don't you get it Rin?"

"Sensei…" she stammered, wanting to hide her blush but he wouldn't allow her.

Pulling her closer by the waist, he held her tight before whispering in her ear. "Sesshoumaru. Call me by my name Rin. From now on." He bit her earlobe playfully. "And especially when I'm inside you."

Kagome of course chose that moment to walk into the kitchen, causing Rin to go completely red from head to toe. Pushing the infuriating male before her, she stormed out and straight into the dining area. That Sesshoumaru! Did he think he was so clever arranging this whole party, saying he loved her, calling her by her first name…

"Okaa-san! Come here! I want you to blow the candles with me." Rin looked up and saw her son standing on a chair in front of a massive cake that had seven candles on it. "And Sensei too!" he shouted.

When the candles were fully blown, pictures taken, cake cut and eaten; Rin had to admit that it had been a long time since she saw her son this happy. Before he had only her and apart from her grandmother, Hiroki didn't have people he could really count as family but maybe, just maybe things might change for the better...

"Rin-chan?" Rin turned at the sound of an elegant feminine voice. "Ah, I hope it's okay for me to call you that. I'm Izayoi, Sesshoumaru's stepmother. It's such a pleasure to meet you."

Rin took the gold laden hands in her bare ones and almost felt embarrassed to be held by what felt like near royalty. Izayoi-san was indeed a beautiful woman and when she introduced her to her son Inuyasha, Rin had to wonder if some kamisama above was smiling on this family when he created these perfect beings.

"Overwhelming eh?" Rin turned to a smiling Kagome as the two watched Hiroki opening his presents with the other adults. "But don't worry. It gets better. Izayoi completely loves you already, I can tell. Not to mention that now she's going to have two grand – " Kagome let out a long wail as she staggered backwards, gripping Rin's arm desperately for support. "It's... my water just broke..."

The events that unfurled next was a flurry of movements and chaotic orders shouted back and forth between the labouring mother and her equally frazzled husband.

"Would you like to come with us Rin-chan?" Thinking it was Sesshoumaru, Rin was prepared to refuse but at the sight of the eldest Oshiro, she went completely meek.

"Ah Inutaisho-sensei! I wouldn't want to impose!"

"Nonsense! Your son is in the car already." As Rin was shoved between Hiroki and Sesshoumaru, she now had no doubt where the latter got his annoying smooth talking genes from. Why was it when she came up against an Oshiro, she could never win an argument? Not to mention getting herself into situations completely out of her comfort zone!

For Hiroki however, the entire night was one big adventure. He was allowed for the first time to stay up past his bedtime and he even got to take Daisuke for a walk later that night when Izayoi-san and Oshiro-Sensei offered to take him back home first. Kagome had been in labour for about five hours by then and according to her obstetrician, she might still be long before the baby was ready to come out.

"You know, we don't have to be here. Inuyasha is here and Kagome's family are on their way," said Sesshoumaru .

"Iye, it's fine. I want to be here for her when the baby comes." Rin knew what it was like to be alone in the delivery ward and if her presence could be just that one more body providing some comfort, she wouldn't mind staying for as long as possible.

When she turned to look at him, Sesshoumaru's expression had hardened somewhat but his voice was gentle when he spoke. "Thank you Rin for today... I'm happy you met my family." Taking her hand in his, he suddenly turned to her with a serious look on his face. "Ano... I know this is a little late to ask, but when's your birthday?"

Rin couldn't help but laugh. "It's in January. And yours?"

"Mine too! On the 16th," he smiled, pulling her closer into a hug "No wonder I'm so insanely attracted to you. But I promise no birthday surprises. I hate them."

"Sesshoumaru," Rin tested the name on her lips. What ever was she going to do with him? He was the most exasperating man she had ever met and yet he had opened his heart and his home to her; showering her with patience, kindness and love. Was this man even for real?

"Yes Rin?"

How should she put this? Her cheeks were no doubt tinted red as she looked up at him. "It scares the hell out of me..." she forced herself to hold those beautiful amber eyes in her gaze. "But I think I'm in love with you too."

For once, the male before her was lost for words. His only reply was to fold her into his arms, whispering her name over and over again. And in that moment, Rin knew that everything that happened up till this point was so their paths could cross; that maybe she was given another chance at love and happiness.

/ / /

A/N: I'm not very good with fluffy stuff though I try! So hopefully that satisfies everyone who were so looking forward to a confession! It's about time too. Four more months to go in the storyline (hopefully I make it in time by valentine's day) so maybe a chapter or two more. If you have a scene you want me to write about, I'm all ears! Till then, hope you've enjoyed reading and keep those reviews coming!


	7. Home for Christmas

A/N: Thanks everyone for your reviews! Kibachow, as suggested, I'm adding a short scene with Kohaku here. It was supposed to be a confrontational one but I've decided to twist it a little. This will be a short chapter – fluff here and there but I hope you all enjoy it!

NOVEMBER

RIN

It was during one of her trips to pick up Hiroki from school that she fell in love.

The space was perfect: nestled in a quiet corner along the busy shopping district, the two story shophouse even had a small balcony looking out into the streets. Rin could just imagine setting up a small table and some chairs where she could lounge and enjoy a cup of tea.

As the current owner brought her through the layout, Rin knew that this love affair with the shophouse would only end in heartache.

For one, her budget didn't allow for such an extravagant lease and second, the travelling distance from Hiroki's school and Sesshoumaru's home would be a nightmare! Shelving the dream away, Rin hopped onto the bus that would take her in front of her son's school. She hadn't planned on venturing this far south from the city centre but instincts had called out to her, only to have her hopes dashed.

Nevertheless when she picked up Hiroki, Rin decided then that it would be a good time to visit Kagome. If she remembered clearly, Sesshoumaru had mentioned something about his brother working in the real estate business. Perhaps she could see with Inuyasha if there were similar spaces on the market nearer home.

"Okaa-san, must we really go and see Suzuki-Sensei and Chi-chan?" whined Hiroki. Rin knew he was more concerned about the new born Chizuru whom he had conveniently dubbed as 'Chi-chan'. "But I don't like her! She's always crying and making this ugly face!" Her son tried to mimic, rather horridly of what looked and sounded like a wailing walrus.

"Nakamura Hiroki! That is not a nice thing to say!" Rin pinched her son's cheek lightly and watched as the tears came soon after.

"Why couldn't Sensei have a boy instead? Then Hiro-chan can play with him! Girls are stupid. They only play with dolls and stuff." That of course earned him another pinch and a whole week of no television. Rin didn't know what had brought about this sudden change in him. Was he jealous of the attention that the baby was receiving? How could he, when Izayoi-san and Inutaisho-Sensei have been taking him out almost every other weekend and spoiling him rotten?

And the baby wasn't even his sibling! What in the world would her son turn to if he had his own –

Wait a minute. Rin wasn't even going to go there. Trying to salvage the situation, she wiped away his tears and promised to make him his favourite dinner if he behaved during the visit.

"Ne Hiro-chan, do you like living with Sesshoumaru-Sensei?"

"Hai! I have my own room! And Sanzen eh, no Sessehoumaru-Sensei is so nice!" At her son's wide smile, Rin knew there would be no chance of them moving out and finding their own place now. She had considered converting the upper floor of that beautiful shophouse into a living space, maybe taking on a renter for the first few months but her chance of winning an argument regarding that with both Sesshoumaru and Hiroki was close to nil.

Not to mention that it would be incredibly stupid to move out of a 3LDK* to a one room apartment once again.

Still, it wouldn't hurt to ask Kagome to pass on her message to Inuyasha. Though she was finally enjoying a break from her usual hectic schedule, Rin truly wanted to go back to tending a shop. If she could really snag one sometime this week, that would give her a chance to renovate and redecorate the place in time for Christmas.

/ / /

SESSHOUMARU

He had gotten the call from Inuyasha just slightly before his shift ended at 5pm. Sesshoumaru considered accidentally leaning on the dismiss button on his phone but voted otherwise in case it had something to do with Kagome.

"Make this quick. If she's not dying, I'm putting down the phone." On the other line, his brother greeted him with equally macabre enthusiasm. "Rin what? I see. That place is really far from here. Don't you have anything nearer?" He didn't even blink at the price quoted. That wasn't the main issue.

Scribbling down some addresses, Sesshoumaru sighed as he hung up the phone with Inuyasha. Why hadn't Rin come straight to him for help? Sure Inuyasha knew the real estate market well but _he_ was the person she should be depending on if she needed anything. When was she going to get that into her head?

As he drove to the first location Inuyasha had detailed for him, Sesshoumaru instantly knew why Rin had been so enchanted with the place. Unlike the small, almost crumbling shack she used to own, this particular store was a cluster of old wooden shophouses centred around a garden courtyard. And for its location, the quiet factor was a definite plus.

"Ohayo, are you here to check out the place sir?" A middle aged lady came out to greet him. "It must be a lucky day today. Just this afternoon another potential buyer dropped by. I can show you around if you'd like."

Sesshoumaru didn't need to ask if the potential buyer was female and in her late twenties. Taking up on the lady's offer, he walked into the shop and saw all the pockets of space that Rin had definitely taken into account as she too traced the same route.

"Forgive me for asking, but do you know if there are any houses in this area that are also up for sale?" Sesshoumaru was grateful when the lady shared with him the names of a few nearby neighbourhoods that had houses on offer. Seemed like the outskirts of Inuyama was becoming quite a popular residential area for the city folks seeking a quieter and less stressful atmosphere.

Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad place to consider raising a family.

When Sesshoumaru finally tumbled home, he hadn't noticed that it was close to midnight until he found Rin curled up on the sofa with her head angled towards the door. She had fallen asleep, likely waiting for him and the gesture instantly doused any anger he had been brewing for the past few hours.

To be fair, Rin had been on her own for years, so to readily expect her to accept his help and his presence in her life was quite selfish on his part. Already, the self-reliant woman had opened her heart slowly to him and if anything, that was enough, for now.

Scooping her up into his arms, Sesshoumaru took her to bed, curling around her petite body as they drifted off to sleep together. Perhaps tomorrow, he would have a word with Inuyasha about buying the place… and then a little talk with his little boy.

/ / / /

RIN

That weekend, Sesshoumaru had bullied her into the car, taking the three of them on a day long trip around the prefecture to look for her shop space. How could she have been so naïve to think that the brothers wouldn't talk to each other about her small inquiry? Hadn't Kagome warned her that the whole pseudo hatred they had for each other was simply a cover for respect and admiration?

"I saw the place you liked. I like it too."

"But it's out of question. It's far too expensive." Rin had already prepared a rebuttal if he dared suggest paying for the mortgage.

"You could sell your soul to me in exchange."

Rin offered him a cold sideward glance. How could he say that with such a straight face?! "It's quite a distance from Hiroki's school and your office."

"So how were you planning to get from work to home then to school and back to work?" He flicked a warning look at her before returning his attention to the road. "And don't even propose moving out."

Nothing escaped him of course.

"Who said I was?" She was such a terrible liar. "That's why I said it's out of the question. So why are we still driving towards the place?"

Rin didn't trust that grin on his face. Sesshoumaru had something up his sleeves and she wasn't sure if she would like it. When he had parked his car and gotten Hiroki out, Rin watched as man and boy whispered excitedly before turning to look at her with equally broad smiles.

"What are the two of you up to?"

Hiroki grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the shophouse. "It's an early Christmas present Okaa-san! From Sensei and me!" Her son gave her a box and urged her to open it quickly. Judging from the little ducky wrapping paper and polka-dotted ribbon, Rin guessed that this had to be her son's only contribution.

"No… you didn't…" One hand covered her mouth as the keys to the store lay in the box on her palm. Turning teary eyed, Rin leaned into the steady chest of her lover. "Sesshoumaru, I didn't want you to do this for me…"

"This isn't for you Rin. This is for us," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Though I still accept repayment in the form of hugs, cuddles and kisses."

Angling her face up, she offered him her first instalment –ignoring the gagging from her son next to her – the kiss filled with all her gratitude and love for this man. She should refuse, maybe even pretend to be angry but truly, what was the point? He had seen the place and likely saw what she had imagined in her head and bought the space for her; for them.

"I was just wondering if you'd like to turn the second floor into some sort of café space? We could fill it with books and you could serve those sweets you love making so much," he suggested as they walked into the empty shop together. "And look there's this courtyard that totally caught my eye –"

"Oh Sesshoumaru!" Rin had jumped and hugged him tight. She knew then that he too had fallen in love with the place as she had; it wasn't just a gift. "I love you so much!"

Prying her off, Sesshoumaru gave a sheepish look; his cheeks for once tinted slightly pink. "Umm, well... tell me that again in a bit," he laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Those keys don't only open the door to this shop…"

"What?" Taking the keys out from the box, Rin finally took a good look at it. Indeed, there were clearly two sets of different keys put together. One was definitely a lock for the main shop gate but the other was too modern for the store's set up. "What does it open?"

Rin looked from man to boy, knowing full well that they were up to something.

"I'm not sure if you would like it," he blurted after a while. "I've not bought it or anything. That's just a viewing key. Hiroki-kun, would you like to show your mother?"

"Roger!" saluted the boy as he led them up a small flight of stairs, past the store and away from the bustling shopping area.

"How much further is it?" huffed Rin, catching her breath. "Don't tell me you bought a shrine on top of this hill or something." At Sesshoumaru's guilty look, Rin let out a groan. "I know you're the owner of a private clinic but really Sensei, it's not necessary –"

"We're here!" Hiroki's gleeful shout cut her short as the two storey house came into view.

"What… I don't understand."

"It's our new house Okaa-san! Do you like it? I picked it out of all the houses that Sensei and I went to!" boasted Hiroki, tugging his mother towards the door. "Hayaku! I want you to see the inside!"

If she thought the shophouse was the love of her life, this abandoned shrine was heaven sent. From where she stood, she could see the entire town and even further towards the sea. Having lived with her grandmother and parents in a very traditional home, Rin revelled in the wooden floorings and translucent sliding doors slightly worn from age and decay. They'll fix it together of course.

Turning to the nervous man standing behind her, Rin offered her kindest smile. "I can't accept this Sesshoumaru. It's too much. I'm happy enough with the shop and I'll work out a schedule to fetch Hiroki from school… but I cannot impose more on you."

"But do you like it?"

What, was he crazy? Of course she did! But Rin hadn't planned on being his lover to get access to his bank account! "Let's go home. There's going to be a lot of work to be done with the shop and I'd like to get it up and ready for Christmas!"

/ / / /

DECEMBER

RIN

Two weeks left till Christmas and her shop was slowly taking form. Though the upstairs section still needed some work done, the bottom half was more or less ready for business. All her old shelves and stock that were kept in storage fitted perfectly into a corner of the shop. Her only problem now was what to do with the rest of the space.

Initially designed for a ramen restaurant, the back portion of the shop was now an abandoned kitchen space. Rin figured she could use it to make her traditional sweets but there were still a lot of empty pockets that needed to be filled.

Maybe she shouldn't have been greedy and accepted such a large space to begin with.

At the sound of the doorbell however, Rin turned; half expecting Sesshoumaru or one of the builders to walk in.

"Ojama-shimasu…" came the polite greeting; her guest excusing himself for the intrusion.

Rin couldn't believe it. "Kohaku? How… how did you know I was here?"

The handsome young man raked a hand nervously through his hair. "I asked my Onee-san. Please don't be angry Rin. I'm not here to create trouble or anything."

"I'm not sure if I can believe that. What do you want?" Holding back the barb in her words had not been easy but Rin kept calm as she folded her hands and listened to him.

"It's a nice place you've got here Rin. The doctor's treating you well… isn't he?" When she didn't answer, he took a deep breath and continued. "I know this sounds stupid but… argh! This was a mistake. I'm going."

"What? That's it? You tracked me all the way here to say nothing?" Her former self would have balked at the idea of even reaching out to touch him but the new Rin did; taking him by the hand and turning him around to face her. "How can I help you?"

"It's… it's not you Rin, it's me. I want to help you." He snatched his hands back and clenched them tight. "And Hiroki too."

"Kohaku… I don't understand –"

"Look! I'm jealous alright! I hate that you have all these," he gestured to their surroundings. "And I have nothing! Not even the rights to my own son. That boy hates me Rin. No one has ever hated me before, not even you."

"Hiroki didn't mean –"

"No, he did. You were not there to see his eyes – my eyes Rin. I know when I'm staring into the mirror and I see a man who hates himself. Look, I'm not asking for custodial rights or anything stupid like that. I just want to be able to come here and say hi to you, to Hiroki and maybe even that doctor of yours without getting punched in the face."

Rin sighed and gestured for him to sit down at the lone table by her till. "What changed Kohaku? Someone broke your heart really bad?"

"Yeah."

Ah, there it was. Reaching out for a small pack of sweets, Rin pushed it carefully towards him. She knew it was a long shot but Kohaku did have a sweet tooth just like her. It wasn't anything fancy but she hoped it would cheer him up.

"You know, I used to love this stuff when I was a kid. Silly huh." Kohaku pushed out one of the circular sweets from the foil and popped it in his mouth. A second later, a soft whistle could be heard. "You've got a kind heart Rin. I think that's what I loved most about you. I don't know how you put up with me or why you did it but the more you were kind to me, the more I felt I needed to break you. Stupid huh."

She had figured that out a long time ago. All those women, all those insults – they were not aimed at her but really it was to lash out at himself. Not everyone coped with reality the same way. Some cry, some overeat and some just get abusive.

"So what happened? There's just you and me and the walls now. Cry if you want, shout if you want." Rin shrugged as she helped herself to one of the sweets she had given him earlier.

"Well, it caught me by surprise honestly. She looked so much like you and was so kind hearted, I swear if you had a twin, she would be it. We've only known each other for like six months and then suddenly she asked if I would like to have children. And I said no – heck, I even got myself snipped –and that was it really. She said she wasn't looking to fool around with someone and that she wanted to get married and start a family and that if I wasn't interested, we should just part ways."

"Never been dumped before?" Rin whistled idly. She didn't know whether to be happy or sad for this man before her. No doubt he had always been the one to end things with his girls and to suddenly be put in this situation... "Well Kohaku, rolling in salt and maybe rubbing chilli oil over the wound might help."

"Ha Ha." He took another sweet. "But seriously Rin. It made me think a lot about things. I mean, I don't know if things will work out with her but I'm hoping it would with you and Hiroki." At Rin's raised eyebrow, he winced. "No, not get back together! I treasure my looks and that boyfriend of yours packs a punch alright. What I'm saying is… let me repay you back for all those years I've missed out, all those birthdays, those graduations. And more importantly, I want to make amends for the way I've treated you in the past."

"Karma?"

"Yeah."

"Want another sweet?"

"Yeah."

When Kohaku left her shop that evening, Rin was almost laughing at his stupid jokes once more. He promised he would come again the next day after taking a look around her shop. Little did she know that Kohaku now ran an interior design firm and had promised to give her shop a slight make over at cost price. Actually, he had offered to pay for it all but Rin didn't wish to owe Kohaku any favours in the future, so they settled for that.

For Rin, that was enough.

/ / /

SESSHOUMARU

Sesshoumaru had somehow managed to lug the six feet tall Christmas tree into his apartment lift and parked it in the corner of his living room. Leaning back on his sofa, he watched with interest as Rin and Hiroki excitedly hung the decorations.

He had wondered if the two of them had ever celebrated Christmas before but his question was answered by an ecstatic boy, bouncing next to him. "I've never seen a real Christmas tree! This one smells so good! Does this mean Santa's going to put presents under the tree?"

"Sure he will." Sesshoumaru ruffled the boy's hair as the three of them sat on the couch and watched the lit tree cast colourful shadows on the walls.

"Rin, do you think it would be a good idea to have Christmas Eve dinner at our place with my family? We usually have it at Inuyasha's but with the baby…"

Rin, who had her head on his shoulder curled closer and murmured, "I think that's a lovely idea." Tilting her head up, she inched for a kiss. "But I won't have much time to help you with cooking; I'm closing my shop at 5pm on the eve. Umm, what _do_ you have for Christmas usually?"

Sesshoumaru kissed her temple and laughed. "Don't worry about it. Hiroki-kun and I will do all the cooking."

Rin had given him an incredulous look. True, he hadn't stepped into his kitchen since she had moved in but that's only because he loved being pampered so by her. He wasn't too bad himself with cooking and if all else failed; he'd call for home delivery.

So on the morning of the 24th, Sesshoumaru took Hiroki to the supermarket and armed themselves with enough ingredients to feed an army. Well, between Chichi-ue, himself and Inuyasha, the three of them could eat the entire turkey by themselves. So it was best to have something extra on the side.

"Sesshoumaru-san, do you think Obaa-san will be here in time?" Hiroki looked up from his task of peeling the skin off the boiled potatoes.

It was still a little new to Sesshoumaru to hear his name coming out from the boy's mouth but now that Rin and him were on a first name basis, he didn't think it was right to have the boy call him Sensei all the time.

"Her train should be leaving any time soon," said Sesshoumaru looking up at the clock. "We'll pick her up at the station when she arrives okay?" Kaede Baba, as she insisted to be called, had been thrilled to come to Inuyama to spend time with Rin and her great-grandson. The only other family member who would not be joining them was his own mother.

As cordial as she was with Izayoi, it was his father that he was more worried about. Those two would ignore the massive iceberg between them even if everyone else around the table were freezing to death.

Putting his thoughts aside, Sesshoumaru paused his onion chopping to look down at the boy. "Ne Hiroki-kun, I've been thinking a lot about that house on the hill. Do you think Okaa-san likes it a lot but is pretending that she doesn't?" The boy's pout and vigorous nod was answer enough. "Well, what do you think if we get the house for your mother's birthday?"

"Really?!" A boiled potato flew out of Hiroki's hands and onto the wall. Shouting out in glee, he went to pick it up only to return with a frown on his face. "But then Okaa-san can't send Hiro-chan to school and make it back to the shop on time and Sensei can't send me…"

"Why not?"

The boy twiddled with his fingers and looked up shyly. "Well you know, because of the fight." The last word was whispered almost embarrassedly.

Sesshoumaru couldn't help but laugh at the adorable child. "Hiroki-kun, what do you say if I put your name in my ^koseki? That way I'll be your lawful guardian too and I can send you to school every day!"

Hiroki abandoned his potatoes in favour of jumping into Sesshoumaru's arms. "Really really really? Does that mean I can become an Oshiro too?"

"If you want. But Nakamura is a good name too no?" The boy's scream of joy nearly turned him deaf so Sesshoumaru never got to hear his answer.

/ / / /

RIN

The day had passed so quickly but Rin could barely manage attending the influx of customers coming in for last minute presents. Thanks to Kohaku's brilliant changes to the layout of her shop, half of the store now carried handcrafted sweets and chocolates – most of which were made in-house. The few days leading up to today had been hectic for her, causing Rin to rely almost exclusively on Kohaku to tend the till as she slogged to make the Christmas specials ready to be sold on the eve itself.

"I don't know what I'll do if you weren't here," sighed Rin as they finally closed up for the evening. "Although to be honest, why are you here again?"

Though he always said he needed to check on the progress of his workers, Kohaku always ended up tending to the shop. "Are you rejecting free labour? You should start to hire someone soon or my back's going to break," he whined in lieu of an answer.

"Alright get out now," she laughed, pushing him towards the door. "I've got a dinner to rush home to and I desperately need a shower!"

"Want me to send you back?" The offer was tempting but Rin wondered if it was a good idea. Though they had slowly started to fix their friendship, she was still not totally at ease with him when it had nothing to do with work.

"No that's alright. You should head back to Nagoya, Kohaku. You've been here for nearly two weeks now. The workers won't be coming in till after the New Year and the shop will only be open then."

For a moment, Kohaku looked like he wanted to say something but zipped his mouth at the last minute. Instead, he reached inside his pocket and took out a box.

"A Christmas present?"

"You can call it that," said Kohaku with a sad smile. When she opened it, Rin had to stifle back a cry of surprise. "Yeah, the same one you tossed at me when you left. I just increased the size of the diamond." But before she could refuse, he closed her hand over the box and shook his head. "I'm not asking you to marry me Rin, for godsake! Just take the damn ring already and do whatever you want with it. Sell it, pay for the bills, pay for Hiroki's school… whatever. Since you wouldn't accept anything from me anyway."

"But this is…"

"It's your ring. I'm not giving you anything new, just giving it back."

Rin said nothing this time as she tucked the ring into her bag. She had remembered exactly how she felt when she had thrown the small golden band at his face – anger, disgust, relief – then regret. Having nothing valuable of her own to pawn, Rin had no choice but to sell away some of her late mother's jewellery to support herself and the baby. It had broken her heart but Rin had done what she needed to survive.

"Alright, go now to your family. They must be waiting for you," said Kohaku.

Knowing she wouldn't be seeing him again for some time, Rin stepped closer and gave him a brief hug. "Goodbye Kohaku and take care. Go find your girl and make things work okay?"

When they stepped away, Kohaku gave her a warm smile. "Merry Christmas Rin. Take care of yourself."

/ / / / /

SESSHOUMARU

Hours later when the meats were roasting in the oven and the potatoes were mashed and dessert chilled, Sesshoumaru took Hiroki to the train station where they picked up Kaede Baba. By the time they were home, his family were already waiting outside and Sesshoumaru allowed the hoard to settle in his apartment.

Amidst the cries of the baby and the soothing coos of the adults, Sesshoumaru set the table; his eyes glued to the clock and to the front door waiting for his beloved to come home. Funny how he had hated Christmas reunions before moving here to Inuyama and now, he couldn't find a reason to.

"Hey, Nii-san." Sesshoumaru was surprised to find his brother leaning against the sink looking up at him. It was rare for Inuyasha to ever address him in anything honorific so this was something serious. "I'm only saying this once and then I'll pretend I never said it." Inuyasha's eyes roamed around to make sure no spy was in the vicinity.

"Spill it, brat."

"Keh! Now I want to take it back. Baka!" Though he said that, Inuyasha leaned closer to his brother, whispering into his ears. "You're a good guy and bla bla. Kagome told me to say that. She also said thanks for the invite."

"And?" How rare to find his brother's ears all red with embarrassment.

"What? Do you think I'm going to sing praises for you? Keh!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes and folded his hands over his chest. "Just you know… Kagome's offer about you being the godfather…"

Did Sesshoumaru really said no to Kagome before? That felt like aeons ago. "Okay."

"I mean, I know you see kids all the time –what? That's it? No crying to the hills and skinning me alive?" Inuyasha stared open-mouthed at his brother.

"I said I'll do it." Sesshoumaru poured sauce into small serving pots, ignoring his brother's yapping for a while. "But, you'll repay the favour when I have one of my own."

That got Inuyasha's attention. "What? Wait a minute… you and Nakamura… when?"

"Not yet. I'm just saying in the future Inuyasha!" His brother can really be an idiot sometimes. "I'm planning to marry her. But don't you dare tell Kagome!" Inuyasha was shaking his head but his cheeks were all puffed up – a sign that he was dying to either laugh or run towards Kagome and spill all his secrets. Sesshoumaru had a feeling it was the latter.

"So when are you going to ask her?"

"When we're ready." And that was the honest answer. His only worry was, whether Rin would say yes. But when he looked up at the clock for the tenth time that hour, Sesshoumaru wondered if he had bigger things to worry about. Rin should be home by now; it was nearly seven.

Passing the task to Inuyasha, he searched for his mobile and dialled Rin's number.

 _The number you are calling is currently unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone._

"Rin, where are you? Please call me back when you can. I love you."

/ / /

A/N: Oh boy I added the last four lines on a whim and I think it might open a can of worms! What could possibly happen to Rin? (This could potentially lead to a sequel; we'll see!)

NB: *A 3LDK is an ideal home in Japan if you will, consisting of three multipurpose rooms, a dining room and a kitchen. By the way, it is my dream to live in weird places like shrines or farms or treehouses. Am not sure how possible it is to actually buy an abandoned shrine in Japan (though I'm sure there are some) and what are the taboos surrounding it but hey! If Sesshoumaru wants to buy me a castle, I'd say yes!

^ The Koseki is like a family registry that includes all the marriages, birth, death and adoption of everyone in the family. It's quite cool since you can trace your ancestry really really far back but the only problem is that it's available to the public. The reason why I've added this in is because step-parents (where I come from) do not have legal consent or right to their stepchildren so Sesshy can't just marry Rin and get guardianship over Hiroki. Adopting him however does.


	8. I Do

DECEMBER

Christmas Eve

RIN

She had just finished pulling down the shutters and locking the shop when a courier motorcycle came to a growling halt behind her.

"Nakamura-san! Nakamura-san! Chotto matte kudasai!" The young courier man bowed apologetically as he thrust a manila envelope under her nose. "Please sign for these. It's my last delivery for the day!"

Scribbling off her signature, Rin accepted the package and was about to casually tuck it in her bag when she saw the stamp and return address.

"No, impossible. It's probably a rejection letter," she tried to reassure herself, trying not to think about the foreign writing on the enveloped addressed to a 'Miss Rin Nakamura'. Clearly the sender wasn't Japanese.

"No, I'm just going to go home, have dinner and – damn it!" The suspense was killing her. Like a child eager to open her presents, Rin ripped the sticky edge of the envelope and poured out its contents. The emblem of Christ Church College and the first words of congratulations in bold was enough to set her stumbling to the ground in shock.

"I... I got it?" Rin swallowed the entire contents of the letter in a single breath; then again, slowly this time. There was no mistake. Rin was one of the lucky eight to have made it into the masters programme and she'd be damn if she didn't accept it right? "This cannot be happening. I was sure I wasn't going to get it. And now the shop... argh!"

Still sitting on her buttom by the side of the road, Rin ignored the passersby and simply brought her knees up under her chin. What was she going to do now? Sesshoumaru had just bought the shop and to leave it for an entire year was truly being ungrateful.

Taking out her phone, Rin dialled the first person that came to her mind. "Hi Professor, it's Rin. I'm so sorry to disturb you but it's about – yes I did! Well of course I'm happy. It's what I've always wanted but I... what? No, you don't have to come here."

Even her professor knew her too well. He'd pre-empt that she would either burn the letters or run away and not send a formal acceptance of the offer. Rin wasn't planning on either of that... she was just going to bury it six feet under...

"Rin! I'm taking a trip down after New Year anyway so don't even think of rejecting the offer. Thank God I told them to send a duplicate copy to me. I wasn't sure if your new address was in operation yet but thanks for updating me. I'll see you in a week!"

Miroku hung up the phone before she could protest so Rin did the next best thing – she unlocked her shop and then curled up behind the doors and cried till her heart could no longer bear the happiness. Perhaps now was a good time to sell the ring Kohaku had returned.

Working out the math in her head, Rin soon found herself staring up at the ceiling, lamenting the cost of childcare and school and what potential idea she could write for her dissertation. The only reason why she had chosen Christ Church College was its large endowment fund for students. That would certainly come in handy –

The loud rap on door almost had her heart leaping out of her throat. "Rin! Are you in there?!"

A quick look at her wrist watch and Rin gulped guiltily. It was almost 9pm... Had she really been daydreaming for so long?

"Sesshoumaru?" She didn't dare to open the door yet, simply allowing the wooden barrier to stand in between them.

"Are you alright? You didn't pick up my calls." A quick look at her phone showed more than 20 missed calls. Had it even vibrated? She didn't notice. "I was so worried Rin..."

Rin didn't answer him straight away, merely leaning her head against the wooden door and trying not to cry. She ought to tell him right? But she didn't want to ruin the day any more than she already did...

"I fell asleep... I'm so sorry..."

"You fell asleep?" The silence on the other side of the door tore at her conscience even more. He knew she was lying . Of course he knew. "Then... can I come in?"

"No!" Too fast. Too guilty. "I mean I'm already coming out. Give me a minute." Stashing her envelope under the till, Rin ran back to the door and let herself out. She didn't even get to apologise for big warm hand closed around her; his reassuring kisses like tiny knives stabbing her heart.

Rin truly felt sick to her stomach.

/ / / /

JANUARY

SESSHOUMARU

On the morning of the new year, Sesshoumaru woke the family up, rousing a sleepy Hiroki into the bath before helping Rin's grandmother in the kitchen. The old lady had slapped his hands with her wooden chopsticks when he offered more than to prepare tea.

"Go and help Rin," she nagged, sending him back into his room where Rin was struggling with her obi.

Leaning against their closed door with a sigh, Sesshoumaru admired Rin from the back, keeping silent until she caught his reflection in her mirror.

"Got kicked out of the kitchen?"

Sesshoumaru gave an irritated huff. "I'm not sure how I feel about this but Kaede Baba says she'll stay and watch over Hiroki until school starts. That's in two days right?"

It had been truly awkward to be sleeping in the room next to an almost centerinarian and not feel guilty about seducing her granddaughter. Rin did have the tendency to get a little loud –which also meant that he had been controlling himself for the past week. The agony of not being able to touch her…

"I think it's nice to have her around. I'm starting to bad leaving Hiroki alone at home for too long because of work," sighed Rin as she pulled back her hair all the way up.

All the more reasons for them to move to that new place, he wanted to say. But Rin looked like she was constantly occupied with thoughts so he didn't dare to bring it up yet. He only wished that she would just trust him enough to share her worries.

"I was thinking… that maybe it would be best if I put Hiroki's name in my Koseki."

The kanzashi she was holding fell abruptly to the floor. "What? I don't… why would you want to do that?"

"I love him and I hate that I can't be the one to send and fetch him from school. Baba won't be around all the time and with you at the shop –"

"You spoke to him didn't you? What did he say?" Her voice sounded weary as though she didn't really want to argue anymore.

"He said yes." Picking up her hair pin, he brought it up, angling her face to look at him. "He wants to take my name as well, if that's alright with you."

He expected a bit more resistance but Rin merely nodded and whispered, "If that is what Hiroki wants."

/ / /

Kaede Baba ended up staying even longer in his apartment ever since Sesshoumaru decided he needed to spend more time in their new house fixing it up in time for Rin's birthday. He hated that he had to leave his little boy at home with the old lady but for a seven year old, Hiroki was extremely cooperative.

"You know, I'm honestly surprised at how things turned out."

The rough low voice of his father's had Sesshoumaru looking up from his task of hammering nails. "What? That I'm fixing a house by myself?"

"I heard that! What am I invisible?" Even from the second floor, his brother's hearing was impeccable.

"Well that too," laughed the oldest Oshiro. "But I meant Rin. Didn't think you'd date a commoner with how your mother brought you up and all. Have you told her yet?"

Sesshoumaru flicked a glance at his father. "I'll tell her when the time comes – not that she would approve anyway." Not that it would matter.

The only reason why Sesshoumaru had stayed with his mother was because of her stature as an heiress and nothing more. Though he was old enough to decide which parent he wanted to stay with, his mother had told him plainly and clearly that she would disinherit him if he chose to live with his father.

"Isn't the kettle calling the pot black?" Sesshoumaru resumed replacing the rotting wood flooring.

"Touché." His father leaned against one of the pillars and sighed. "But I've learnt so much being with Izayoi. And somehow I get the feeling you're learning just as much too. I mean look at you! Buying a house, adopting a child… Didn't think you had a heart in you Sesshoumaru-kun."

Honestly, he didn't think he had it either. But perhaps… "I guess I really do love her Chichi-Ue."

"Then what are you waiting around for? That ring's not going to get onto her fingers on its own you know!"

"Right… about the ring," Sesshoumaru blew out a nervous breath. He wasn't used to asking his father for any favours. "Ano… do you think Izayoi-san would –"

"Of course she would! In fact, why don't I call her now and we can all go look for the perfect ring?" His father slapped his shoulder happily as he dialled his wife and chattered with peppered detail about Sesshoumaru's grand plan to hold a wedding in his newly bought shrine-turned-house up the hill.

/ / /

RIN

After being closed for nearly a week, Rin was back to business; opening the shop and ready to welcome the students on their first day at school. That morning, she had given Sesshoumaru written permission to send Hiroki to school without her for the first time. The boy had gleefully kissed her and wished her luck at her first day back at work and Rin felt her heart break slightly.

Hiroki was growing up too fast. He didn't need her anymore.

But judging by the way he latched on to his soon-to-be legal guardian, Rin wondered if her lack of masculinity had anything to do with it. She hadn't realised how much Hiroki needed a father figure around; thinking she was enough for him was truly selfish on her part.

Sighing, she made a final check of all the shelves and tables before heading to the entrance. She had barely turned the 'closed' sign to 'open' when the glass door was pushed towards her gently.

"Irraishaimase – Kohaku? What are you doing here again?" Behind him was a beautiful long haired lady; eyes cast down and looking extremely fidgety. "Ano… welcome, and who might you be?"

Before the young woman could reply, Kohaku had broken the ice, linking their hands together and shaking them both furiously. "Rin, I'd like you to meet Kikyo. Kikyo, say hello to your new boss."

Not wanting to scare the girl away, Rin slowly pulled her hand back. She didn't hear him wrongly did she?

"I am so indebted to you Nakamura Tenchou! Please take good care of me!" The woman called Kikyo was nearly bent in half; her body remaining in that position until Rin cleared her throat and ordered her to get up.

"Kohaku, can we err talk privately please?" Dragging him by his sleeve, she boxed them inside the store room before giving him a deathly glare. "Just what in the world is going on here?"

With both hands up, Kohaku tried to brush away her annoyance. "I found you a pastry chef. That's what you needed right? Look, she's legit and all, I swear. She just came back from France and she's dying to find a job. The market's shitty so I offered her one here."

Narrowing her eyes, Rin folded her arms and tried not to balk. "You're sleeping with her aren't you?"

"Aww come on Rin! Not every girl I know is – okay, you know what, never mind. If you're not going to take her, I'll find her another place to work in."

He started heading for the door and Rin knew she needed to make her decision quick. It wasn't that she didn't want to hire the girl but the shop had just been renovated and Rin barely had enough to spend on the operating expenses, what more to pay an employee.

"I… I guess I can't really deal with these whole two floors on my own either," she admitted. Plus, with her still undecided about her studies, having someone to potentially take over the shop might be useful.

Satisfied that he had won somewhat, Kohaku dragged them both back out to properly induct the nervous Kikyo. Rin almost broke out in fits when she found out the young woman was only 19 years old.

"What are you a cradle robber?" she hissed, pinching Kohaku's arm. That man had no morals whatsoever!

"Ano… Ano… Tenchou, umm, would you like me to make something? I can make anything you like!" she stammered anxiously as her eyes darted towards the back kitchen.

"I don't suppose you can make traditional Japanese sweets?" At Kikyo's fervent shake of her head, Rin began to ponder over her knowledge of western pastries. "Tell you what. Why don't you look in the kitchen and see what you can make with whatever ingredients you can find. I believe in basics so if you can make something amazing with just sugar, flour, eggs and butter then maybe I'll hire you."

It turned out that you _can_ make quite a lot with just those four ingredients.

"So umm, this is a croissant and this is a quatre-quart." Rin tried to mimic the words but it wasn't easy. It almost made her recall the embarrassing dinner date she had with Sesshoumaru. Eating it however was a different matter.

"This is actually really good!" She hadn't expected that much from such a jittery woman but her palate wouldn't lie. Now, the problem of salary. "So Kikyo, I'm not sure what this idiot told you but I can't pay you much –"

"Tenchou! I am happy to just be paid in food and board. Please accept me! No other shops I've been to are hiring!"

Rin must have looked like she was about to reject the proposition for Kohaku gave her a solemn look that chided her for making Kikyo on the verge of tears. "Ne Rin-chan, why don't we convert the upstairs kitchen into a small living area? I know you wanted to do a pantry anyway right? If we extend it just a little, I'm sure we can make a small but comfortable space for Kikyo." Before she could even say no, he held his hand up to halt her protest. "I'll work on it. It's a freebie."

Sending Kikyo off for her first task for the day, Rin then got around to make her morning coffee and offered one to Kohaku as they refilled the shelves with sweets and toys together.

"So, why are you so persistent to get her to work here?" With Kohaku, there always had to be a deviant angle to it. And by his nervous laughter, Rin knew she wasn't far off the mark.

"Remember that girl I told you about? The one who wanted us to be serious?" At Rin's opened mouth, he nodded. "Yupp that's the one. I know she's all shy and nervous but she's honestly straightforward and level headed once you get to know her."

Rin didn't doubt that. But this coming from Kohaku, Rin was actually surprised to know he cared for this woman. "So is this you trying to be serious with her?"

"Well… I sorta got her fired from her last job…"

Rin couldn't believe men and their lust sometimes. "If I catch you in between her legs anywhere in this shop, I'm flaying you first than her. I mean it Kohaku!" She threw a packet of sweets at his head, just in case it didn't sink in.

Hours later after the last customer had left, Rin and Kohaku found themselves alone in the shop once again. Offering him a cup of tea, Rin slumped over the table and groaned at how much harder it was running a shop twice the size as her previous one.

"Ne Kohaku, how much do you think this is worth?" asked Rin, pulling out the ring from her pocket. She didn't know why she carried it around all the time but somehow the weight of the box gave her some sort of security.

"I'm not going to answer that Rin. But if you know anything about diamonds, that's a five carat you're holding."

Rin had no clue what that meant but as she held it up against the light, the diamond sure sparkled bright. Would it be enough to pay for her expenses in the UK?

"See, I'm a little torn right now." She poured out her worries about the scholarship and her acceptance to study overseas. "If I leave Hiroki here I know he will be taken care of. But how can I? And I don't even dare to ask Sensei to come with me. He just started taking over his father's clinic and I don't think it's fair for him to just up and go like that!"

To her surprise, Kohaku grabbed her hands with his in an effort to keep them still. She hadn't realised how much she was waving them around frantically. "Look Rin, I think you just need to talk to him about it. As for the ring, the choice is really yours."

In her frenzied state of mind, Rin didn't even notice the front door opening, only realising it too late when the towering figure came into view behind Kohaku; the shock and disappointment so clear in his eyes.

"Sesshoumaru… no wait! This isn't what it looks like!"

/ / / /

SESSHOUMARU

He had thought of surprising her by dropping by the shop since he was in the neighbourhood but all that came to a standstill the moment he saw her sitting across the table with a man he thought would never have dared to step into her space.

But the true moment of despair came when he saw them laughing and her animated reaction to something Kohaku had said. Not only that, he managed to catch bits of their conversation about a ring and then witnessed them holding hands.

"Sesshoumaru!" Her footsteps had quickened into a run but he continued walking away as fast as he could. It wasn't that he didn't want to hear her explanation. Unlike Rin, Sesshoumaru wasn't the type to jump blindly to conclusions. He was sure there was a valid reason for the misunderstanding but the thought of Rin in a state of panic and running after him made him surprisingly... happy.

Maybe he had a sadistic streak in him.

"Sesshoumaru, please… stop running." Rin had stopped; one hand leaning against a lamppost as she tried to catch her breath. "I'm so sorry for not telling you… things just happened so fast… he's just helping… nothing weird happening…"

Her erratic burst of phrases weren't making much sense. Taking pity on her, he turned and waited for her to calm down. "How long has he been coming around?"

She didn't come close, but remained quite a distance away as though afraid he would lash at her. "A few weeks before Christmas."

"Was that why you forgot about dinner?" Had she been in the shop with him all day and got… distracted? The guilt on her face wasn't reassuring.

"No… it's not like that. Remember I told you about the scholarship? I received it on Christmas Eve." Her lashes lifted but she didn't look at him straight in the eye. "That ring you saw was mine. Kohaku was just returning it to me. We were discussing whether to sell it so I can pay for school… and stuff."

So, she discussed her options with her ex-husband and not him. Did she truly think she could just make a decision without consulting him?

"I've heard enough. I didn't know that's how things were between us Rin." He tried not to let his disappointment show but honestly, he didn't care anymore right now. Turning towards his parked car, Sesshoumaru chose to walk away –

Desperate arms wound tight around his waist as Rin launched herself at him from the back. "No! Don't go!" She tried to explain in her soft, hurried voice how Kohaku wanted to repay her back for his past mistakes. "And he didn't come alone today. He brought his girlfriend with him, a young woman, who's going to help me in the shop. So please Sesshoumaru… don't hate me."

As if he could. "Perhaps I'm an idiot for loving you this much Rin. But if you want this relationship to work, you have to meet me halfway." His hands moved over hers and tightened.

When they returned to the shop, the first thing Kohaku did was to hide behind the thin frame of a woman Sesshoumaru didn't recognise.

"Please don't hit me!" he squealed when Sesshoumaru took a step forward.

"I would but you've done justice to this interior so I'll give it a pass for today," said Sesshoumaru in his deadpan voice before turning his attention to the equally quivering woman trying to hide Kohaku. "You must be the new girl. I'm Oshiro Sesshoumaru and I technically own this shop."

"Ah! Oshiro Shachou! Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu!" The girl bowed politely before snapping back up. "I'm Tachibana Kikyo. I'm here to help Nakamura-san as her pastry chef."

Sesshoumaru was surprised at the formal speech of the young girl – what an opposite contrast to that lame excuse of a man still seeking refuge behind her. What ever did she even see in him?

Well now wasn't _that_ the question of the year, seeing that Rin too had once been in love with this man. "So Kohaku, why are you here? I thought I made it clear you were not to come back ever again?"

"Technically you said to stay away from Hiroki." He squealed when Sesshoumaru took a threatening step forward. "Wait! I'm seriously not up to no good! It's just as Rin probably explained. I'm here to cleanse my karma and hopefully get to see my boy once in a while."

Sesshoumaru didn't know if he had the patience anymore. Rin lighting his short fuse was one but this man…

"Ano Shachou, before you say anything, please hear me out!" Kikyo bowed low before looking up at him with pleading eyes. "Kohaku and I are thinking of getting married but… we might not get the chance to have our own children. It was me who wanted him to treasure his own son more. So please, if you want to be angry, I am the one to blame!"

Okay now he was definitely going to have a migraine with these three. "Kohaku, let me be upfront about this. I'm only telling you because you are Hiroki's biological father but I am currently in the process of adding Hiroki into my Koseki. He has chosen to adopt my family name."

There was no surprise on the man's face, only resignation. "That is the best for him isn't it? Then I suppose I've got this all wrong." He flicked an apologetic look at Rin. "Umm, Oshiro-san, I would like to come here and see Hiroki-kun and get to know him, as a friend if not as his father. Will you allow it?"

"Let's start with supervised visitations only here in this shop. If Hiroki doesn't feel comfortable at any time, I'll take him away."

"I can work with that," said Kohaku with a small smile. "Thank you both. I'm truly grateful for it. I won't mess it up again, I promise!"

Sesshoumaru was going to have to hold him to that because there was no way he'd lose either of his precious love to this man – not even by a sliver.

/ / / /

RIN

Today was her birthday.

But Sesshoumaru didn't say anything about it that morning when they woke up so she assumed it had slipped past his mind. After all, he seemed to remember it was five days from his own birthdate but didn't seem to remember if it was before or after the 16th January.

Worst of all, her own son seemed to have forgotten! He had kissed her as he always did every morning and wished her a good day at work before leaving hand in hand with Sesshoumaru to school.

Feeling a tad cranky, Rin snapped at her new pastry chef's morning greeting; nearly sending the girl running into the kitchen in fright.

"What do you want Kikyo?" It was too early for any serious talk. First Rin needed coffee – two cups preferably.

"Uh, well, I made a list," she whimpered, pushing an ingredients and recipe list towards Rin. "Since it's the new year, I thought of making a few specials. But we'll need a little more than the usual ingredients."

Rin snatched the list and pinched the bridge of her nose. Raspberries, cherries and cranberries? "These will cost a lot Kikyo –"

"Yes but if we cut down on the daily pastries like here –" she pointed to a table of numbers. "We'll have less items but more quality so we can hike up the price a little," she added cheerfully.

Promising that she would think it over before the end of the day, Rin then went about her daily duties with a plastered smile on her face. Every now and then, she would catch sight of the envelope with her acceptance letter and forced herself to look away. Though she still had till mid-February to reply, the answer however wasn't as clear cut as she thought it would be.

Flipping open her phone for the tenth time that day, Rin stared at her empty message box and wondered how Sesshoumaru could possibly have forgotten her birthday! It wasn't like she expected anything… but even a special kiss would have been more than enough!

"Ano Tenchou… if you keep making that face, you're going to drive the customers away." Rin looked up to see Kikyo walking out with a new tray of fresh croissants; one finger lifted towards the peering faces of some students at the glass window.

"Kikyo, let's swap. I want to use the kitchen. Man the shop please." Heading straight to the kitchen, she rummaged the cupboards for ingredients and prepared her work station to make a small cake for herself. It was pathetic, she knew, but Rin didn't wish to have the day pass by so unceremoniously.

When she was done, Rin took the cake out and gave half to her assistant. "Have some. You've worked hard."

As expected, Kikyo burst into a state of apologies; thanking her boss for the kind gesture. Rin was about to wave her off when the front bell rang signalling a new customer.

"Irasshaimase!"

It almost felt like old times as the familiar customer gathered a handful of sweets and placed them on the counter. "Let me guess, 3000 yen?"

Rin nodded wordlessly, picking up a random tube of pastilles and adding it to his paper bag. "You should head back... your lunch time is almost over right?"

The beautiful man leaned over and stole a kiss, ignoring the onlookers. "It's just started. Can I steal you for a minute?"

Blushing to her roots, Rin grabbed him by the sleeves and tugged him out into the garden courtyard. "You can't just go around kissing – " He cut short her words with his lips, pulling Rin into a deep, breathy kiss.

"Sure I can," he grinned, taking her hands in his. "Besides, look. It's snowing."

Looking up, Rin caught the first flakes falling from the sky; the tiny drops melting as they touched her bare skin. Turning towards him, Rin leaned her head into his broad shoulders, sighing accusingly, "You forgot what day it is today."

Those amber eyes looked down laughingly. "Did I? What day is it today? Must have completely slipped my mind."

He was joking. He had to be.

"Is that why I came here straight after work to pick up the most beautiful woman who's claim my heart?" He pulled her close, tilting her head up to look at him. "I make it my job to know as much as I can about you Rin. Can you leave the shop to Kikyo to handle alone?"

It was almost as though he had it planned beforehand for Kikyo had already called Kohaku over to lend a hand; both of them adamantly chasing here out of the shop and waving excitedly as Sesshoumaru led her towards his car.

"Are we going somewhere?" she asked, looking down at the strip of silk he had offered her.

"Yes but only if you put the blindfold on." Not that he was giving her a choice for the cloth was tied securely over her eyes in the next second. The drive after did not take long and Sesshoumaru had led her out gently, guiding her until she felt the soft tiny hands of someone really hung for her waist.

"Hiroki?" She recognised those hands anywhere.

"Happy birthday Okaa-san!" The little boy hugged her tight even as her fingers desperately undid the blindfold.

"Oh Hiroki..." Her son was dressed in a cute tuxedo with a massive grin on his face. Looking up to her lover, she was surprised to find he too had shrugged on a coat and was smiling at her. "Please tell me you didn't buy this house and that there isn't a crazy surprise party going on inside."

Sesshoumaru gave her a guilty grin. "You got one of the two right." Jingling keys in front of her, he smiled as he lifted Hiroki into his arms. "Happy birthday Rin, from all of us."

At first she didn't understand but the moment she unlocked the door and stepped inside, Rin lost all sensations in her knees and staggered backwards. Clapping a hand over her mouth, Rin looked around in awe at the polished and fixed wooden floorings to the freshly painted walls and the newly installed lights.

"How... how long did it take you to do this?"

The two boys shuffled sheepishly, with Sesshoumaru steadying her on her feet again. "Everyone helped. Chichi-ue and Inuyasha too. Even Hiroki-kun on weekends right?"

Her son tugged on her hands and led her through the entire house, pointing out the kitchen, living room and most importantly...

"This is my room! I love it so much!" he squealed, jumping onto his racing car shaped bed. "But Okaa-san and Daddy's room is upstairs and it's enormous!" he roared the last word as he ran up the stairs.

Apparently Hiroki wasn't exaggerating. Sesshoumaru had indeed converted the entire attic into their bedroom, with separate dressing areas and even two bathrooms.

"Ne Hiroki-kun, will, you wait downstairs and welcome everyone? We'll be down in a bit."

Once the boy was gone, he pulled her into his embrace. "Now we can all be closer. I hate that you're always so tired after work. This way you can be with Hiroki after school as before. I managed to find a school bus service that passes –"

"I love you Sesshoumaru." Rin linked her hands around his neck. "I don't say it much and I sure as hell don't deserve you but I love you so damn much... it scares me." Hiding her face in the curve on his neck, she finally confessed. "I don't know what to do about the scholarship and university acceptance. I've been waiting for so long for this... but I have so much here to lose if I go. You've done so much for us. I owe everything to you. I even thought I'd take Hiroki with me so I won't burden you anymore – that's what the ring was for. I wanted to sell it and use the money to pay for his school fees."

"Rin... my lovely beautiful Rin." Gentle hands stroked her hair lovingly. "Were you worried about hurting me?" At her nod, he curled himself tighter around her. "Do it then. Go to the UK."

Her body went slack against his. "But what about this house, the shop, your work –"

"Everything will still be here when you come back. It's only for a year right? You deserve the break Rin."

"What... wait I don't understand."

"Go and do your masters. I'll take care of Hiroki and everything else. I'm sure we can hire another one or two assistants for the shop..." And to her horror, he released her to get on his knees. "I wasn't planning on this so soon... but it seems, there couldn't be a better time than now."

The ring held a single solitaire with two pleats on one side decorated by smaller diamonds. If she thought that Kohaku's ring was valuable, this one probably was worth triple of that. "Sesshoumaru... this is all too much... what if you made a big mistake?"

"Loving you is a mistake?" He still held on to the ring expectantly. "I never once thought that. I'm a doctor Rin. If I make one mistake, lives can be lost. So I trust my instincts and it has never led me astray."

"Oh Sesshoumaru..." Rin could no longer see clearly with the tears blinding her. "Yes... Yes!"

/ / / /

FEBRUARY

SESSHOUMARU

"Daddy, are you sure we're doing this right..." Hiroki looked up from his mess of butter and chocolate – some of which had suspiciously got on his teeth – and pointed to the bowl in front of him.

Ever since his petition to include the boy in his Koseki had been approved, Sesshoumaru had been getting himself used to being addressed as 'Daddy' by the boy who was effectively now... really his son. Peering over at the bowl he grimaced.

"I think half the chocolate bar went missing. Did you happen to see it Hiroki-kun?" He feigned trying to hunt for it as he inched closer to the boy. When Hiroki was within reach, he scooped the boy and tickled him till they both cried in laughter.

"Daddy stop stop!" Hiroki had toppled a bag of flour on Sesshoumaru, covering him in white snow.

They were obviously not going to make chocolates in time for Rin before she returned home. "What do you say if we ditch this and go out to buy some?"

Hiroki looked up and yelped in joy. "Yeah! I thought girls were supposed to make chocolates for boys on valentine's day. How come we're making for Okaa-san? Suzuki-sensei says boys give chocolates back on white day next month."

"Well she's absolutely right Hiroki-kun. That's why I'm giving your mother a massive gift in March." He was marrying her. "But for today, I thought we could both give her something special. Okaa-san has always made sweets and chocolates for us right? It's only fair we do something nice for her too. Especially today."

The boy considered his words carefully. "Do we get her roses too? I hear were suppose to give them to the ones we like..." A slight blush crept up his cheeks and Sesshoumaru wondered if the boy had a crush in school he was dying to impress on White Day.

The trip to the department store was a nightmare. Everywhere, women fussed over boxes of chocolates to the point where both man and boy were dying for a breather the moment they found a box for Rin.

"We'll make chocolates ourselves next year," promised Hiroki, a second before he went still and quiet; his eyes widening. "Otou-san..."

Sesshoumaru knew the boy wasn't referring to him so he instinctively lifted Hiroki into his arms before turning to come face to face with...

"Sango-san?" Next to her, an equally stunned face of Kohaku stared straight at him. Didn't he say he was getting married to Kikyo? What in the world was he doing with his nurse aid?

"Ah! Oshiro-Sensei, what a surprise to see you here! And with little Hiroki-kun too." Turning to Kohaku, she introduced Sesshoumaru as her boss. "And this is Kohaku, my brother."

"Brother?" Sesshoumaru looked from Kohaku to Hiroki and then back at Sango. "What a small world huh?"

At her confused face, Kohaku let out a sigh. "Onee-san, actually Sesshoumaru and I know each other. Hiroki is our son."

"You're gay?!" Sango-san face was priceless.

"No, that's not what he meant Sango-san. Hiroki is Rin's and Kohaku's son. But I'm now marrying Rin and adopted Hiroki... so well, I guess that makes you his aunt."

"I don't believe this..." But when her eyes flicked from Hiroki to Kohaku, Sesshoumaru knew there was no way she could deny the familial similarities. The boy was a carbon copy of his biological father. "Oh my god... all these times. I could have helped her Kohaku! She was so alone!"

"Not anymore Sango-san. She has me now," said Sesshoumaru with a warm smile. "I do hope to see you both at the wedding. Hiroki should be surrounded by family always." Looking up into his son's face, Sesshoumaru gave him a reassuring kiss. With his mother leaving in two months, he was going to need them more than ever.

/ / / /

MARCH

RIN

Everything had happened so fast but Rin could not be happier. Staring into her reflection, she forced herself not to cry, especially not with Hiroki fidgeting nervously by her side.

"So are you ready to give your Okaa-san away?"

The seven year old looked up teary eyed at his mother. "But I had you first. Hiro-chan is only sharing you with Daddy..."

It hadn't been easy explaining to him that she would be leaving for a year overseas soon after the wedding. It had taken a lot of reassuring hugs and kisses to make him confident that she wasn't abandoning him and that Sesshoumaru would take him to the UK every long holiday to see her.

"You're my one true love Hiroki, don't forget that. In fact I'm sharing you with Daddy too." Those tears she tried so hard to hold back fell as her son stepped into her arms for a final hug.

"Alright you two, it's time." Kagome peeked her head into the dressing room and smiled kindly when she saw them hugging. " I'll tell them to hold for a minute more."

"No I'm ready!" chimed Hiroki as he dashed out to take his place. Though slightly non traditional, Rin and Sesshoumaru had insisted that him giving his mother away was the most natural thing for both of them. The boy had been ecstatic up till now.

As the wedding music played, Rin gave herself a final look in the mirror and smiled. Married for real this time. No half-assed Vegas style marriage like in the past.

"Thank you Kamisama for sending me this angel to love and to be mine. Thank you Otou-san, Okaa-san for watching over us always..."

And Rin stepped out, one step at a time; her husband's smiling face the only one she saw in the sea of guests in the hall.

 _I love this man... for all eternity._

/ / / /

SESSHOUMARU

There was not a sight more perfect than the love of his life walking hand in hand with their son down the aisle. Rin looked incredibly beautiful in her tulle wedding dress; those lustrous black hair curled and pulled up to leave her neck and shoulders bare except for a small necklace.

When their eyes met, he knew that this was the best decision he had made.

"Daddy..." Hiroki's hands gripped his mother's tightly but he still brought it forth towards Sesshoumaru.

"I promise I will love her till my last breathe," he promised, kissing the boy on his cheek. "And I will always love you too."

Rin only beamed at them both as she took her place by his side in front of the solemniser.

After exchanging their vows, Sesshoumaru held her face in his hand, bringing her close for their first kiss as a married couple. "Checking out your store was the best thing I ever did – well, after marrying you of course."

Walking down the aisle together, Rin squeezed his hand. "Really? And here I thought tricking me into a date was the best thing."

"I'll show you a few other tricks tonight if you want," he hissed, squeezing her fingers back.

"Sesshoumaru!"

"Admit it Rin. You love me to bits."

"I do... I do so much."

/ / / / / / /

A/N: Awwwwwww. I teared up a couple of times writing this. I hope everyone had warm fuzzies too! I seriously rushed this in time for Valentine's Day as a nice wrap up to the story. Thank you everyone for staying through with this story. I hope it made you feel a bunch of emotions and that you enjoyed it! Special thanks to lovespirita for your thoughts on this final chapter. Really helped me a lot!

I'll probably write a short epilogue in the near future. So in the meantime, reviews, PMs and general love for the story is more than welcome! Happy Valentine's Day everyone!


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